RUSSELL     SAGE 
FOUNDATION 


ELEMENTS  OF 

RECORD  KEEPING 

FOR  CHILD-HELPING 

ORGANIZATIONS 


BY 

GEORGIA  G.  RALPH 

STATISTICAL  SECRETARY  DEPARTMENT  OF  CHILD-HELPING 
RUSSELL  SAGE  FOUNDATION 


NEW    YORK 

SURVEY    ASSOCIATES,    INC. 

M  C  M  X  V 


selection.  From  each  type  of  record  form  studied,  the  writer 
has  chosen  one  or  more  which  seem  most  practical  and  satis- 
factory. In  a  few  instances,  where  no  satisfactory  blank  was 
found,  a  form  has  been  suggested. 

No  attempt  has  been  made  to  anticipate  the  minor  prob- 
lems which  are  bound  to  arise  in  planning  and  installing  partic- 
ular systems  of  records.  Some  of  the  details  of  the  blanks  and 
filing  systems  needed  by  different  agencies  necessarily  vary 
according  to  their  scope,  policies,  and  circumstances,  and  must 
be  adapted  to  fit  each  type  of  work.  This  discussion  is  limited 
to  those  general  aspects  of  social  record  keeping  which  are  fun- 
damental and  applicable  to  all  phases  of  child-caring  work. 
This  must  be  remembered  by  anyone  who  makes  use  of  the 
blanks  and  methods  here  described. 

For  the  forms  and  illustrations  used  in  this  study,  for 
much  excellent  material  which  could  not  be  included,  and  for 
many  helpful  suggestions,  the  Department  is  indebted  to  a 
large  number  of  child-helping  organizations  in  different  states, 
which  have  been  consulted  in  an  attempt  to  learn  how  far 
record  keeping,  or  the  lack  of  it,  has  helped  or  hindered  the 
welfare  of  children  in  their  care,  and  what  record  forms  and 
methods  of  filing  them  have  proved  most  practical  and  useful 
in  the  day's  work. 

The  Department  of  Child-Helping  will  be  glad  to  supple- 
ment the  information  here  given  and  to  make  suggestions  to 
individual  agencies  in  regard  to  installing  new  systems  of  rec- 
ords or  modifying  old  ones. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Preface iii 

List  of  Illustrations vii 

Record  Forms  Used  in  Report vii 

Introductory      xi 

I.     Information  Showing  the  Identity  and  Whereabouts 

of  Children I 

The  Register 5 

II.     Information  for  Deciding  Whether  Children  Should 

be  Received 10 

Application  Blanks 18 

Family  History  Records 22 

III.  Information  for  Determining  the  Personal  Needs  of 

a  Child 41 

Individual  Child's  Record 43 

Physical  Records 43 

Mental  Records 44 

Continuation  Records 56 

Continuation  Physical  Records  ....  56 

Continuation  School  and  Efficiency  Records  64 

Miscellaneous  Records 66 

IV.  Information  Needed  in  Placing-out  and  Supervising 

Children 70 

Records  for  the  Investigation  of  Foster  Homes.  77 
Records    for    the    Supervision    of    Placed-out 

Children 84 

Agent's  Reports  of  Placement  and  Visits     .      .106 

V.     Some  Rules  to  be  Observed  in  Record  Making.      .  112 
VI.     The  Use  of  Records  in  Preventive  Work.      .      .      .125 
v 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

VII.     Methods  and  Devices  for  Making  Records  Available  132 

Indexing  Records 132 

Organizing  Records  for  Filing 138 

Filing  Records 142 

Special  Indexes 147 

Index  of  Foster  Homes 147 

Geographical  Index  of  Placed-out  Children  148 

Locality  Index 152 

Agent's    Index  of   Children   under   Super- 
vision    1 52 

Signals 154 

Protection  of  Records 155 

VIII.     Abstracting  Material  for  Annual  Reports  .      .156 

Population  Statistics 158 

Financial  Statistics 165 

Miscellaneous  Material 174 

IX.     How  to  Secure  Good  Investigations  and  Records     .  176 

Training  of  Workers 177 

Co-operation  of  Agencies 1 77 

Conclusion 182 

Bibliography 183 

Index 187 


VI 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING 

Figure  page 

I.     Illustration  showing  some  common  faults  in  record  making      .    112 

II.     Combination  filing  cabinet 133 

III.  Visible  index 136 

IV.  Visible  index 140 

V.     Desk  index 152 

VI.     Detail  of  desk  index 152 


RECORD  FORMS  USED  IN  REPORT 
Form 
No.  page 

1.  Children's  register.    Albany  Orphan  Asylum 6 

2.  Children's    register.       Kentucky    Children's    Home    Society, 

Louisville 8 

3.  Application  for  admission.     Hershey   Industrial  School,   Her- 

shey,  Pa 20 

4.  Family   history  record.     Boston   Children's  Aid   Society   and 

Children's  Bureau,  Philadelphia 25 

5.  Family  history  record.     State  Charities  Aid  Association,  New 

York  City 27 

6.  Family  history  record.     Board  of  Children's  Guardians,  St. 

Louis 29 

7.  Family  history  record.     Board  of  State  Charities,  Children's 

Welfare  Department,  Columbus,  Ohio 33 

8.  Family  history  record.    Suggested  by  the  Russell  Sage  Foun- 

dation, Department  of  Child-Helping 35 

9.  Personal  record  of  child.    Suggested  by  the  Russell  Sage  Foun- 

dation, Department  of  Child-Helping 45 

10.  Physical  examination  record.    State  Charities  Aid  Association, 

New  York  City 47 

11.  Physical  examination  record.    Joint  Shelter  for  Children,  Phil- 

adelphia     49 

12.  Dental  record — Examination  chart.    Bureau  of  Health,  Division 

of  School  Inspection,  Philadelphia 51 

13.  Dental  record — Clinical  chart.    Bureau  of  Health,  Dental  Dis- 

pensary, Philadelphia 53 

vii 


list  of  illustrations 
Form 

No.  PAGE 

14.  Continuation  physical  and  medical  record.     Suggested  by  the 

Russell  Sage  Foundation,  Department  of  Child-Helping     .     57 

1 5.  Individual  infant's  record.    Suggested  by  the  Russell  Sage  Foun- 

dation, Department  of  Child-Helping 59 

16.  School   record.     Allegheny   County    Industrial   and   Training 

School  for  Boys  (Thorn  Hill  School),  Warrendale,  Pa..      .     67 

17.  Conduct  and  efficiency  record.     Hebrew  Sheltering  Guardian 

Society  of  New  York,  Orphan  Asylum,  Pleasantville  .      .     68 

18.  Application  for  child.    Children's  Mission,  Boston     ....     73 

19.  Application  for  girl.    Girls  Parole  Department,  Massachusetts 

Training  Schools,  Boston 78 

20.  Application  for  child.     Henry  Watson  Children's  Aid  Society, 

Baltimore 79 

21.  Recommendation  blank.    Cleveland  Humane  Society     ...     83 

22.  Visitor's  report  on  foster  home.     Children's  Home  Society  of 

Florida,  Jacksonville 85 

23.  Visitor's  report  on  foster  home.     Board  of  Children's  Guar- 

dians, St.  Louis 87 

24.  Form   letter  to  applicant   whose   home   has   been   approved. 

Children's  Mission,  Boston 89 

25.  Form  letter  to  applicant  whose  home  has  been  rejected.    Chil- 

dren's Mission,  Boston 90 

26.  Report  of  visit  to  placed-out  child.    Children's  Aid  Society  of 

Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia 91 

27.  School  record  of  placed-out  child.     Henry  Watson  Children's 

Aid  Society,  Baltimore 93 

28.  Pastor's  report  on  placed-out  child.    Children's  Aid  Society  of 

Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia 95 

29.  Form  letter  to  teacher  of  placed-out  child.     Children's  Aid 

Society  of  Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia 96 

30.  Form   letter  to  pastor  of  placed-out   child.     Children's   Aid 

Society  of  Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia 97 

31.  Medical  and  dental  report  of  service  to  placed-out  child.    Chil- 

dren's Mission,  Boston 98 

32.  Clothing  record.    Hebrew  Orphan  Asylum,  New  York  City.  99 

33.  Clothing  requisition.    Children's  Aid  Society  of  Pennsylvania, 

Philadelphia 100 

34.  Girl's  monthly  report.     Girls  Parole   Department,   Massachu- 

setts Training  Schools,  Boston       102 

35.  Employer's  monthly  report.    Girls  Parole   Department,  Mas- 

sachusetts Training  Schools,  Boston 103 

36.  Girl's  receipt  for  money  expended  for  her  by  employer.    Glen 

Mills  Schools — Girls'  Department,  Darling,  Pa 104 

viii 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 
Form 
No.  PAGE 

37.  Institution's  receipt  to  employer  of  placed-out  girl.    Glen  Mills 

Schools — Girls'  Department,  Darling,  Pa 104 

38.  Agreement  with  foster  parents.    State  Charities  Aid  Association, 

New  York  City 105 

39.  Agent's  report  of  children  placed  and  replaced.    Form,  slightly 

modified,  of  Kentucky  Children's  Home  Society,  Louis- 
ville      107 

40.  Agent's  report  of  children  visited.    Form,  slightly  modified,  of 

Kentucky  Children's  Home  Society,  Louisville  .      .      .      .108 

41.  Agent's  report  of  placement  of  child.     Children's  Aid  Society 

of  Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia 109 

42.  Agent's  report  of  removal  of  child.    Children's  Aid  Society  of 

Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia in 

43.  Visitor's  card.    Home  for  the  Friendless,  Pittsburgh       .      .      .122 

44.  Section  of  placement  statement  relating  to  adoption,  death, 

and    burial.      Michigan    Children's    Home    Society,    St. 
Joseph 123 

45.  General  index  card  for  institutions.     Suggested  by  the  Russell 

Sage  Foundation,  Department  of  Child-Helping      .      .      .134 

46.  General  index  card  for  child-placing  society.     State  Charities 

Aid  Association,  New  York  City 135 

47.  .Index  sheet  of  reports  and  correspondence.     Illinois  Children's 

Home  and  Aid  Society,  Chicago 139 

48.  Index  card  of  foster  home.    Children's  Aid  Society  of  Pennsyl- 

vania, Philadelphia 146 

49.  County  index  card  of  placed-out  child.    Children's  Aid  Society 

of  Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia 149 

50.  Index  card  and  supervision  record  of  placed-out  child.     Brook- 

lyn Children's  Aid  Society 151 

51.  Registration  card  of  foster  home.    New  England  Home  for  Lit- 

tle Wanderers,  Boston 153 

52.  Monthly  report  of  children's  institution.     Board  of  Charities, 

District  of  Columbia 163 

53.  Monthly  report  of  children's  institution.     Board  of  State  Char- 

ities of  Indiana,  Indianapolis 166 

54.  Attendance  record.    Suggested  by  Board  of  Commissioners  of 

Cook  County,  Illinois 168 


INTRODUCTORY 

ANY  person  or  agency  engaging  in  a  child  welfare  cam- 
Z-X  paign  learns  sooner  or  later  that  success  depends  largely 
x  V  upon  facts  which  have  been  carefully  recorded.  And, 
further  than  this,  it  is  found  that  the  virtues  or  faults  of  the 
records  of  child-caring  organizations  vitally  affect  the  children 
they  are  striving  to  help. 

To  many  of  us  records  stand  remote  from  human  interest; 
they  suggest  business  offices,  with  desks  and  ledgers;  or  courts 
of  law,  with  registers  and  files  and  collections  of  documents; 
but  it  is  seldom  that  we  think  of  them  in  connection  with  the 
home  life  or  personal  activities  of  children.  We  are  apt  to 
overlook  the  fact  that  records  are  kept  by  every  individual  and 
family  and  that  they  play  a  vital  part  in  the  simplest  human 
relationships  of  everyday  life.  For  instance,  the  ceremony  of 
the  birthday  cake,  with  its  candles,  rests  upon  a  child's  birth 
record;  when  he  enters  school  a  vaccination  record  is  required; 
if  he  applies  for  a  position  he  must  furnish  credentials  as  to  age, 
fitness,  training,  and  character;  when  an  estate  is  being  settled 
questions  often  arise  which  call  for  proofs  of  birth,  death,  or 
marriage;  the  taking  out  of  an  insurance  policy  involves  a 
knowledge  of  the  physical  history  of,  his  parents  and  grandpar- 
ents; every  day,  in  innumerable  ways,  records  rival  chance  in 
determining  his  fate.  In  the  normal  family  some  of  these  records 
are  usually  written.  Births,  deaths,  and  marriages  are  registered 
in  the  family  Bible;  there  are  written  school  reports  and  diplomas, 
health  and  marriage  certificates,  family  "trees,"  family  albums, 
and  old  letters;  the  modern  baby's  biography  provides  for 
elaborate  records  of  growth,  health,  school  progress,  and  personal 
traits.  As  a  rule,  however,  many  minute  details  are  not  written, 
but  are  preserved  within  families  by  bonds  of  affection  and 
common  interest.     Family  festivals,  the  intimate  daily  associa- 


INTRODUCTORY 

tion  of  parents  and  children,  winter  evenings  around  the  fire, 
the  interchange  of  visits  among  relatives — all  give  abundant 
opportunity  for  stamping  upon  the  memories  of  parents  and 
children  significant  items  of  family  history.  It  is  impossible, 
perhaps,  for  persons  who  have  grown  up  in  their  own  homes  to 
realize  how  often  their  plans  would  be  checkmated  and  the 
whole  current  of  their  lives  changed  were  they  not  able  to  call 
upon  these  informal  family  records  for  help  at  certain  times. 

When  children  become  dependent  or  delinquent  and  pass 
from  the  care  of  their  own  parents  into  that  of  children's  institu- 
tions and  societies,  all  essential  facts  of  personal  and  family 
history  should  be  collected  and  recorded  by  these  agencies; 
not  only  that  the  information  may  be  preserved  for  the  children, 
but  that  the  agencies  may  have  it  as  a  guide  in  caring  for  them. 

The  informal  methods  of  record  keeping,  which  are  often 
sufficient  for  practical  purposes  as  long  as  families  are  intact, 
can  not  be  depended  upon  by  child-caring  organizations.  These 
must  substitute  well-organized  systems  of  written  records  for 
memory  and  the  casual  written  records  kept  by  families.  The 
workers  in  these  agencies  have  not  the  opportunities  which 
relatives  have  to  absorb  facts  through  close  and  prolonged 
association  with  the  children  and  their  families;  and  even  if 
they  had,  it  would  be  humanly  impossible,  because  of  the  shifting 
populations  and  frequent  changes  of  officers,  to  preserve  and 
use  the  information  without  carefully  kept  records. 

In  the  study  here  presented,  it  will  be  shown  how  the 
systematic  use  of  records  in  decisions  involving  the  acceptance, 
care,  and  discharge  of  children  is  indispensable  to  effective  work, 
and  how  they  may  serve  not  only  to  safeguard  and  increase  the 
happiness  and  welfare  of  children  already  in  the  care  of  institu- 
tions and  societies,  but  to  prevent  other  children  from  needing 
such  care  in  the  future. 


xu 


CHAPTER  I 

INFORMATION  SHOWING  THE  IDENTITY 
AND  WHEREABOUTS  OF  CHILDREN 

IT  is  reasonable  to  expect,  and  state  boards  of  charities 
sometimes  require,  that  any  organization  which  assumes 
the  care  of  a  child  shall  have  a  permanent  written  record 
showing  who  he  is,  why  and  how  he  was  received,  and  what  was 
done  for  and  with  him.  As  one  worker  remarked,  "  However 
deficient  the  records  of  an  organization  may  be  in  other  respects, 
no  one  should  ever  be  able  to  say  of  any  agency  that  it  has  lost 
track  of  a  child  through  failure  to  record  his  movements,  or  that 
children  and  their  families  have  been  needlessly  kept  apart 
because  an  organization  did  not  record  identifying  information 
which  it  could  usually  have  obtained  if  it  had  tried." 

Many  organizations  for  child-care  do  not,  however,  keep 
so  much  as  a  book  register,  and  often  those  which  do  keep  one 
enter  information  in  it  so  meager  or  indefinite  that  it  is  utterly 
worthless.  For  example,  the  records  of  a  New  York  City 
institution  contain  so  little  information  that  in  many  cases  it 
would  be  practically  impossible  to  trace  the  children  or  their 
families.  The  records  of  two  of  its  discharged  children  read 
like  this: 

Harold.  Mrs.  Eva  Kinsey.  One  child.  Mother  unable 
to  pay  more.    Gone. 

William,  Henry.  Mrs.  Ruggles.  Two  children.  Will  take 
them  out  on  the  fifteenth.     Has  married.    Gone. 

The  following  is  a  sample  of  the  records  kept  by  an  insti- 
tution in  Maryland.  It  shows  a  conscientious  attempt  to  keep 
records  but  a  failure  to  see  the  necessity,  not  for  mere  entries, 
but  for  such  entries  as  supply  definite,  useful  facts: 

Mother's  maiden  name  Carrie 

Where  parents  lived  Baltimore 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


Whether  baptized 

Yes 

If  so,  where 

Baltimore 

When,  by  whom 

Rev. 

Hair 

Brown 

Eyes 

Blue 

Complexion 

Dark 

Height 

3  ft.  2Y2  in. 

Weight 

40  lbs. 

When  admitted 

Sept.,  1898 

From  whom  received 

Her  mother 

A  manager  of  an  orphanage  in  Georgia,  who  is  impressed 
with  the  dangers  involved  in  poor  record  keeping,  says: 

"I  find  that  only  the  crudest  records  of  the  children  are 
kept,  merely  their  names — which  are  not  even  alphabetically 
arranged — and  the  date  of  their  entry." 

When  the  matron  of  a  Pennsylvania  institution  was  asked 
for  some  very  necessary  information  to  help  in  deciding  the 
futures  of  certain  children  in  the  Home,  she  said  that  she  could 
not  give  it  because  she  had  been  there  but  a  few  months;  that 
her  predecessor,  who  "didn't  see  the  good  of  records"  because 
she  "remembered  all  about  the  children,"  had  died  suddenly 
and  all  the  information  had  died  with  her. 

Instances  are  constantly  coming  to  light  of  boys  and  girls 
who  can  not  find  out  who  they  are,  and  of  children  and  parents 
who  have  been  lost  to  each  other  as  a  result  of  such  fragmentary 
record  keeping. 

In  the  Baltimore  Sun  of  February  16,  19 12,  for  example, 
we  find  the  following  item: 

More  complicated  than  the  plots  of  many  plays  in  which  the 
orphan  who  has  become  rich  seeks  her  humble  parents,  is  the  case  of 
a  wealthy  woman  from  New  York  who  left  Baltimore  yesterday 
afternoon  after  being  here  for  a  week  in  search  of  her  parents. 

She  made  investigation  of  the  records  of  a  number  of  the  orphan 
asylums  of  the  city,  saying  that  when  about  two  years  of  age  she 
had  been  left  in  an  asylum  in  Baltimore  and  had  later  been  adopted 
by  a  well-to-do  family.  She  married  a  New  York  business  man, 
who  had  amassed   a  fortune  since  their  marriage. 


IDENTITY    AND    WHEREABOUTS    OF    CHILDREN 

At  the  Home  of  the  Friendless,  Lafayette  and  Druid  Hill  Avenues, 
she  found  a  record  that  she  had  been  in  the  asylum  a  number  of 
years. 

"Mary  Rudger,"  the  record  read,  "left  here  by  mother.  Mother 
will  pay." 

That  was  all  she  could  find,  as  Mrs. ,  the  matron,  said  the 

little  orphan's  mother  had  never  returned  to  the  asylum  after  leav- 
ing the  child  there. 

The  superintendent  of  a  large  orphanage  in  New  York  City 
expressed  his  shame  that  an  inadequate  record  system  in  his 
institution  had  been  responsible  for  such  instances  as  these: 

"A  boy  who  had  been  in  the  institution  eight  years  before, 
came  back  looking  for  definite  information  about  his  birthplace 
and  his  parents  and  relatives  so  that  he  might  enter  a  claim  for 
a  sum  of  money  which  would  probably  come  to  him  could  he  prove 
his  identity.  Our  records  were  too  incomplete  to  be  of  any  service 
to  him. 

"A  few  weeks  ago  we  had  a  similar  experience  with  a  young 
man  who  wished  to  find  out  his  exact  birthplace.  Our  records 
said  simply  'born  in  Virginia.' 

"We  are  constantly  being  called  upon,"  he  said,  regret- 
fully, "by  those  who  have  gone  out,  for  information  which  we 
are  unable  to  furnish." 

The  superintendent  of  a  child-caring  organization  in  the 
Middle  West  tells  of  an  instance  where  the  society  was  unable  to 
shield  one  of  its  wards  against  the  insinuations  of  a  jealous 
suitor  because  it  had  failed  to  make  a  complete  record  of  her 
parentage.  "It  would  have  been  worth  a  hundred  dollars," 
writes  the  superintendent,  "to  have  had  that  blank  filled  in." 

The  secretary  of  a  state  board  of  charities  in  a  southern 
state  cites  another  instance: 

"  We  had  an  inquiry  not  very  long  ago  as  to  the  whereabouts 
of  a  child  who  had  been  born  at  one  of  our  maternity  hospitals, 
and  who  had  been  placed  in  a  home  by  the  matron.  The  father 
of  this  child  had  just  died  and  had  made  it  his  heir.  No  records 
had  been  kept  by  this  institution  and  the  matron  did  not  remem- 
ber with  whom  she  had  placed  the  child.  The  physician  had 
forgotten  all  about  the  case,  and  we  have  been,  up  to  this  time, 

3 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

unable  to  ascertain  whether  or  not  the  child  is  alive,  and,  if 
alive,  with  whom  it  has  found  a  home." 

The  president  of  the  board  of  managers  of  an  eastern 
orphanage  recently  received  the  following  letter  from  a  boy  who 
had  previously  been  in  her  institution: 


UNITED  STATES  SHIP 


April  ist,  1913, 
Phila.,  Pa. 


Miss 

Dear  Madam: 

Will  i  asked  you  to  do  me  a  great  favor  i  have  not  asked 
since  i  left  the  home  10  or  11  years  ago  because  I  did  not  fell 
it  like  i  do  when  traveling  around  the  world.  Will  you  please 
look  in  the  old  records  and  see  if  you  can  trace  up  my  father 
and  mother,  i  don't  know  or  have  never  remember  seeing 
since  leaving  the  dear  old  homestead  i  hope  to  visit  probley 
this  summer  in  my  Uniform.     My  father  name  i  think  is 

Richard  and   mother  Susan  i   doing  well   i 

join  to  see  the  world  and  save  some  money  so  i  could  see 
some  part  of  the  world  if  i  knew  where  my  mother  was  i 
would  not  Join  the  navy.    Some  time  i  get  a  thinking  about 

the  Orphan  Asylum  &  mother  &  i  sit  down  &  hold 

my  face  &  cry.  As  i  grow  up  in  manhood  with  no  one  to  love 
but  God  i  feel  like  a  lost  sheep.    Im  23  years  old  now  &  Nov 

7-1916  i  will   be  27  years  old.     Miss  ,   Directress, 

will  you  please  investigate  &  find  out  something.     Some 

yrs  ago  Mr.  said  he  thought  they  were  up  in  New 

York  State  in  the  poor  house,  i  been  searching  for  the  last 
6  yrs.  I  doing  find  &  i  have  not  had  a  sick  day  since  i  left 
the  grand  old  home. 

I  remain, 

Yours  sincerely 


The  superintendent  of  the  institution  went  to  see  the  boy 
and  found  that  his  concern  was  genuine  and  that  he  had  been 
searching  for  his  family  for  several  years  whenever  he  was  away 
from  his  ship.  The  records  of  the  institution  did  not  contain 
a  single  clue  to  help  him.     At  the  time  the  little  fellow  was 

4 


IDENTITY    AND    WHEREABOUTS    OF    CHILDREN 

admitted  no  one  had  thought  it  important  to  record  anything 
about  his  mother.  It  may  be  that  some  manager  or  matron 
once  "knew"  about  her,  but  the  obligation  could  have  been 
discharged  only  by  making  a  careful  written  statement  in  the 
official  records. 

In  all  of  these  cases,  the  institution  records  should  have 
contained  information  which  would  have  been  of  definite  help  in 
meeting  the  problems  of  their  wards. 

THE  REGISTER 

The  simplest  and  earliest  form  of  written  record  for  identi- 
fying children  and  tracing  their  movements  was  the  register. 
In  the  early  days  of  child-caring  work  it  was  the  only  form  of 
social  record,  and  even  today  it  is  the  only  one  which  some 
agencies  use  or  which  they  are  willing  to  concede  should  be  kept. 
But  among  the  best  child-caring  agencies  social  record  keeping 
has  advanced  far  beyond  this  primitive  stage,  and  card  systems, 
which  include  detailed  family  history  records,  are  now  considered 
essential  for  thorough  work. 

As  an  equivalent  for  these  fuller  records  the  register  has 
no  claim,  but  it  has  an  important  use  as  a  safety  device.  By 
bringing  together  in  one  place  the  names  of  all  children  who 
come  under  the  care  of  an  organization,  along  with  certain  mini- 
mum information  needed  for  identification,  it  serves  as  a  check 
upon  the  card  system  and  as  a  safeguard  in  case  a  card  record 
should  be  lost. 

Although  of  limited  social  value,  judged  by  the  highest 
standards  of  today,  the  fact  that  the  register  is  known  to  all 
agencies  makes  it  common  ground  from  which  to  approach  the 
larger  aspects  of  social  record  keeping.  Because  of  this,  it  is 
treated  first. 

The  fact  that  the  register  is  merely  a  safety  device  should, 
however,  always  be  kept  in  mind,  and  in  no  case  should  it  be 
accepted  as  sufficient  in  itself  or  as  a  substitute  for  full  family 
histories  which  the  most  progressive  child-helping  organizations 
now  recognize  to  be  the  real  point  of  departure  in  all  sound  child- 
caring  work. 

5 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


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IDENTITY    AND    WHEREABOUTS    OF    CHILDREN 

The  register  of  the  Albany  Orphan  Asylum,  Form  i, 
shows  the  points  which  child-caring  agencies  in  New  York  that 
receive  state  funds  are  required  by  the  state  board  of  charities 
to  keep.    The  rules  of  the  board  state  that  they  shall  keep 

a  book  in  which  shall  be  recorded  and  preserved  in  permanent  form  the 
following  facts  regarding  each  child:  Name;  sex;  color;  place  and  date 
of  birth;  last  residence;  the  following  facts  concerning  the  father  and 
the  mother:  residence  if  living,  birthplace,  religion  and  occupation;  name 
and  official  title  of  committing  officer;  name  of  county,  city,  town,  or 
village  upon  which  the  child  is  a  charge;  the  reason  for  non-support  by 
the  father,  if  living;  the  reason  for  non-support  by  the  mother,  if  living; 
and  such  other  information  as  may  explain  the  dependency  of  the  child.* 

This  style  of  register  is  very  generally  accepted  as  useful. 

For  organizations  which  do  any  considerable  amount  of 
placing-out  work,  a  smaller  book,  with  a  page  or  a  half  page 
devoted  to  each  child,  will  probably  be  found  more  satisfactory 
because  it  allows  for  a  continuous  record  of  the  whereabouts  of 
children  who  may  be  replaced.  A  register  of  this  kind  is  used 
by  the  Kentucky  Children's  Home  Society.  Form  2  shows  a 
page  from  the  register  of  this  society. 

Although  the  card  system  is  more  convenient  for  keeping 
most  social  records,  and  has  very  largely  supplanted  the  book 
system,  registers  should  be  permanently  bound  books,  in  order 
that  the  danger  of  loss  may  be  minimized. 

As  a  matter  of  convenience  and  economy  of  time,  it  is 
desirable  to  have  a  register  ruled  and  printed  to  order.  One 
like  that  of  the  Albany  Orphan  Asylum  costs  about  $14  for  100 
double  pages.  If  an  institution  can  not  incur  this  expense, 
a  very  good  substitute  may  be  planned  at  small  cost.  A  ruled 
book,  pages  \2}4  x  15  inches,  or  larger,  with  no  vertical  lines, 
forms  a  good  basis.  This  provides  a  space  of  at  least  30  inches 
across  two  opposite  pages.  The  pages  may  be  ruled  into  columns, 
and  column  headings,  covering  any  points  which  an  institution 
wishes  to  include,  may  be  written  in  or  printed  by  hand.  Stock 
books  of  this  kind,  in  sizes  ranging  from  100  to  300  pages,  cost 

*New  York  State  Board  of  Charities.  Annual  Report,  1910,  Volume  III, 
p.  1001. 

7 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


N 


IDENTITY    AND    WHEREABOUTS    OF    CHILDREN 

from  $1.50  to  $3.00.  If  a  number  of  institutions  in  any  locality 
were  to  agree  upon  a  uniform  style  of  register,  a  considerable 
saving  in  cost  could  be  effected  by  arranging  with  a  printer  to 
supply  a  quantity. 

Entries  in  the  register  should  be  made  in  ink,  in  strictly 
chronological  order,  and  should  be  numbered  consecutively. 


CHAPTER  II 

INFORMATION  FOR  DECIDING  WHETHER  CHILDREN 
SHOULD  BE  RECEIVED 

CHILD-HELPING  organizations  are  recognizing  more  and 
more  that  they  must  consider  carefully  the  special  needs 
of  the  individual  children  in  their  care  if  their  work  is 
to  be  truly  effective.  Indeed,  "individual  treatment"  has  come 
to  be  almost  a  slogan  among  many  child-caring  agencies.  Workers 
in  children's  institutions  frequently  say,  "We  give  all  of  our 
children  individual  care";  "This  is  not  an  institution,  it  is  a 
home."  Placing-out  agents  tell  us  that  their  aim  is  to  "fit  the 
child  to  the  home  and  the  home  to  the  child."  Many  institutions 
point  with  pride  to  their  cottage  plants,  which  have  been  pro- 
vided that  the  individuality  of  the  children  may  have  fuller  play. 
Superintendents  tell  us  that  the  children  no  longer  wear  uni- 
forms and  that  they  are  allowed  to  choose  many  of  their  own 
clothes ;  that  special  educational  opportunities  are  provided  for 
gifted  children ;  and  that  self-expression  is  everywhere  en- 
couraged. 

Yet  some  of  these  very  organizations  which  lay  the  greatest 
stress  upon  treating  children  as  individuals,  as  a  matter  of  fact 
often  fail  in  this  because  they  do  not  see  that  individual  care 
involves  comprehensive  records  of  the  personal  and  family 
histories  of  the  children;  that  only  with  the  help  of  such  records 
can  they  possibly  know  what  each  child  needs. 

Many  agencies  accept  children  because  their  families  are 
in  trouble  and  the  children  happen  to  be  eligible,  although  a 
study  of  the  family  histories  would  frequently  show  the  cruelty 
or  possible  dangers  of  such  a  course  and  the  need  of  some  totally 
different  plan.  On  the  other  hand,  there  is  an  increasingly 
large  group  of  managers  and  workers  who  are  giving  careful 
attention  to  the  family  background  and  personal  histories  of 
children  before  making  decisions.    They  have  found  out  by  hard 


RECEPTION    OF    CHILDREN 

experience  that  the  physical  care,  training,  and  education  of 
dependent,  delinquent,  and  defective  children  can  yield  the  best 
results  only  when  they  form  part  of  a  larger  plan  which  considers 
the  present  needs  of  each  boy  and  girl  in  the  light  of  past  circum- 
stances and  future  possibilities. 

A  concrete  instance  will  show  the  value  of  family  histories 
as  guides  in  receiving  children. 

Jane  Blank  and  John  Doe  were  two  real  children  who 
were  wards  of  the  same  orphanage  and  whose  stories  illustrate 
how  large  sums  may  be  spent  and  no  real  headway  made  in  the 
permanent  solution  of  such  problems  as  theirs  when  agencies 
accept  children  without  considering  them  in  the  light  of  family 
relationships. 

Jane  and  John  first  met  each  other  in  the  reception  room 
of  the  orphan  asylum.  Superficially  regarded,  they  were  both 
in  exactly  the  same  predicament ;  their  fathers  had  died  and 
their  mothers,  who  had  to  go  out  to  work,  had  asked  the  orphan- 
age to  take  the  children. 

Following  the  commonest  practice  of  such  organizations, 
the  investigation  made  had  consisted  of  an  interview  with  the 
two  mothers  in  the  office  of  the  orphanage.  Mrs.  Shaw,  the 
institution  manager,  who  was  chairman  of  the  admission  com- 
mittee, had  talked  with  the  mothers,  had  recorded  their  names 
and  addresses,  a  few  other  miscellaneous  facts,  and  the  names 
of  references  which  the  mothers  supplied.  She  assured  the 
women  that  their  applications  would  be  considered  at  the  next 
meeting  of  the  board.  After  corresponding  with  these  refer- 
ences the  records  which  the  manager  made  were  as  follows: 

Jane  Blank  John  Doe 

Age — 4  years  Age — 8  years 

Father — killed  in  a  mill  Father — James,  dead 

Mother — Sarah  Mother — Anna 

Address — 5 1  State  Street  Address — 234  Pike  Street 

Occupation — Is  going  to  take  a  Occupation — Laundress, 
place  as  domestic  and   can        Goes  out  to  work  and  can 
not  keep  child  not  leave  child  alone  dur- 

ing day 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

Recommended    by    Rev.    Dr.     Recommended     by     Mrs. 

Partridge  Loom  is 

Date,  Dec.  2,  1909  Date,  Dec.  2,  1909 

The  board  met  the  following  week  to  consider  applications. 
Mrs.  Shaw  presented  the  requests  for  the  admission  of  Jane  and 
John,  together  with  the  records  which  she  had  made  and  the 
recommendations  of  the  references.  Jane's  mother  had  brought 
a  letter  from  Rev.  Dr.  Partridge  stating  that  she  was  "a  worthy 
woman,"  a  member  of  his  church.  Mrs.  Loomis,  who  happened 
to  be  a  former  member  of  the  board,  had  telephoned  Mrs.  Shaw 
that  John's  mother  was  a  hardworking  woman,  who  sometimes 
washed  for  her  when  she  needed  extra  help.  Mrs.  Loomis  said 
she  hoped  that  John  would  be  admitted  as  soon  as  possible, 
because  his  mother  had  no  one  with  whom  to  leave  him  when 
she  went  out  to  work. 

Mrs.  Shaw  told  the  board  that  both  these  women  impressed 
her  as  being  "respectable  and  worthy,"  and  she  recommended 
that  both  the  applications  be  accepted.  The  board  promptly 
voted  to  receive  the  children. 

Some  years  later,  the  managers  of  the  institution,  who  had 
become  convinced  of  the  importance  of  thorough  investigation 
of  applicants  before  admission,  employed  a  trained  visitor  to  do 
this  work.  She  began  by  getting  acquainted  with  the  families 
of  all  the  children  then  in  the  institution  and  reporting  her  find- 
ings to  the  managers.  The  reader  will  see  the  striking  contrast 
between  the  records  made  by  Mrs.  Shaw  three  years  before  and 
those  of  the  trained  visitor  whom  these  wise  managers  engaged. 

subsequent  reports  of  a  special  visitor  upon  the  homes 
of  jane  and  john 

Jane  Blank                                 John  Doe 
Parents  married — S Parents  married — M 


N.  Y.,  April  5,  1895.  Ohio,  June  4,  1903. 

Father — Frank,  dead.     Was    Father — James,  died  in  oper- 

brakeman  on R.  R.        ation  in  Hospital. 

While  on  duty  was  killed  in         Hospital  could  furnish  no 
a   collision   caused   by   an        record  of  his  death. 
12 


RECEPTION    OF    CHILDREN 


open  switch.  Family  re- 
ceived no  damages.  Com- 
pany paid  funeral  expenses 
only.  Father  left  $1000  in- 
surance. 


Mother— Sarah,  781  Third 
St.  Age  36.  Mrs.  B.  said 
that  she  kept  her  family  to- 
gether until  insurance  was 
exhausted  and  then  placed 
children  in  institutions. 

She  has  a  physical  disability 
which  makes  it  difficult  for 
her  to  continue  with  her 
present  work.  She  has  not 
the  means  to  go  to  a  physi- 
cian. Did  not  know  how 
to  proceed  to  get  hospital 
care.  Said  she  could  not 
afford  to  give  up  her  posi- 
tion for  fear  she  could  not 
get  another  one,  and  that 
she  had  nothing  with  which 
to  pay  rent  while  she  was 
in  the  hospital. 

At  present  employed  in  G 

Department  Store.  Earns 
$6  a  week. 


Mother — Anna,  54  Lawrence 
St.  Age  40.  Intoxicated 
when  visitor  called.  Opened 
door  to  her  one  room, 
where  a  man  was  asleep. 
Visitor  did  not  go  in,  but 
found  out  from  mother  that 
she  had  formerly  worked 
for  the  Star  Laundry,  47 
West  10th  St. 

Interviewed  Mr.  J.  S.  Long, 
foreman  of  laundry,  who 
stated  that  woman  was  a 
good  laundress  when  sober, 
earning  $16  a  month  and 
maintenance;  that  she  was 
a  heavy  drinker  and  had 
had  delirium  tremens.  Said 
that  he  had  heard  that  she 
was  living  with  a  man  to 
whom  she  was  not  married. 


Formerly  worked  for — 
J.  S.  Shields,  75  Worth  St., 
Barnes  Co.,  Canal  St.,  F. 
L.  Coulter,  81  Main  St. 
These  former  employers 
were  interviewed  or  written 
to.  They  all  testified  to  the 
efficiency  and  trustworthi- 
ness of  Mrs.  B.  (Letters 
attached.) 


13 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


Former  neighbors — 
Mrs.  Laura  Cole,  57  State 
St.,  Mrs.  Mary  Briggs,  48 
State  St.  Both  stated  that 
Mrs.  B.  was  an  exemplary 
woman  who  had  tried  to 
run  a  little  store  but  had 
failed.  They  said  that  she 
had  always  taken  good  care 
of  her  children  and  made  a 
pleasant  home  for  them. 

Children — 
Bertha,    born    1/21/1897; 
Joseph,     born     2/8/1900; 
William,    born    5/2/1902; 
Jane,  born  8/5/1906.     All 

born  in  D ,  Pa.  Bertha 

living  as  domestic  with 
paternal  aunt,  W ,  Pa. 

Visitor  saw  William  and  Jo- 
seph.   Both  were  formerly 

in  M Home,  now  at 

home  with  mother.  Mo- 
ther said  that  William  is 
very  delicate,  goes  to  school 
and  does  the  housework; 
that  Joseph  has  position  as 
office  boy,  earns  $3  a  week. 
Wants  to  be  a  doctor. 


Home — Three    roomed 
clean,  well  kept. 


flat, 


Neighborhood — R  a  i  1  r  o  a  d 
yards,  numerous  "gangs" 
of  bad  boys,  rough  class  of 
people.  Mother  said  that 
she  knew  it  was  not  a  fit 
place  for  the  children,  but 
that  her  boys  are  quiet  and 


Children — 

Marie,  daughter  by  former 
marriage,  17,  said  by  sister 
of  Mr.  Doe  to  be  of  doubt- 
ful reputation;  John,  born 

10/5/1905,  E ,  N.J.; 

Mary,     born    2/1 3/1909, 

E ,   N.  J.    Mary   also 

in  this  institution. 


Home — One  room,  4th  floor 
of  tenement,  occupied  by 
mother  and  man  with 
whom  she  lives. 

Neighborhood  —  Low  class, 
saloons,  pool  rooms,  low 
class  of  people. 


14 


RECEPTION    OF   CHILDREN 


stay  at  home  so  it  does  not 
matter  so  much,  but  that 
she  would  not  bring  her 
daughters  to  it. 

Relatives  —  Paternal     aunt, 

Mrs.  D.  S.  Dodd,  W , 

Pa.,  with  whom  Bertha 
lives  as  domestic. 


Relatives 
father, 
S 


—  Paternal  grand- 
Mr.  J.  F.  Doe, 
,  Pa.  Refuses  to 
recognize  Mrs.  Doe,  but  is 
willing  to  take  John.  Will 
come  for  him  if  institution 
will  release  him. 

Mrs.  Geo.  Doe,  15  Ray  St., 
wife  of  father's  brother. 
Stated  that  she  has  had 
nothing  to  do  with  family 
since  father's  death;  in- 
timated that  both  mother 
and  the  daughter  by  former 
marriage  are  immoral. 


Visitor's  Estimate — 


Visitor's  Estimate — 


High    grade,    self-respecting    Mother    low,    immoral    wo- 


family,  poverty  main  diffi- 
culty. Mother  is  in  poor 
health.  She  needs  medical 
attention. 

(Signed)  A.  V.  Cross 

Visitor 
Date,  May  5,  igi^ 


man,   absolutely   unfit    to 
have  custody  of  children. 


(Signed)  A.  V.  Cross 

Visitor 


Date,  May  8,  IQ13 


Viewed  through  the  eyes  of  the  institution  manager,  Jane 
and  John,  like  many  of  the  other  200  children  in  the  Home,  had 
simply  been  a  little  girl  and  boy  whose  fathers  were  dead  and 
whose  mothers  had  to  go  out  to  work.  But  the  facts  secured  by 
the  institution  visitor  showed  how  widely  different  the  problems 
of  the  two  children  really  were.     The  visitor  found 


In  the  case  of  Jane: 

A  home  broken  up  by  an  in- 


In  the  case  of  John: 

A  home  in  which  poverty  and 


15 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

dustrial  accident  for  which  the  fam-  misfortune  were  coupled  with  vi- 

ily  had  received  no  compensation.  cious  habits. 

An  efficient,  self-respecting  A  mother  who  was  clearly 
mother,  who  as  long  as  the  insur-  unfit  to  have  the  care  or  guardian- 
ance  lasted  was  able  to  keep  her  ship  of  her  children.  A  grave  dan- 
home  together,  but  who  was  later  ger  threatening  the  future  of  this 
forced  to  break  up  her  home  because  child  in  the  absence  of  legal  meas- 
of  poverty  only.  ures  to  prevent   his  mother  from 

An  opportunity  to  reconstruct  debasing  him. 
the  home  and  reunite  the  family. 

If,  while  the  applications  were  being  considered,  the 
managers  had  secured  the  facts  that  the  visitor  learned  through 
personal  visits  to  these  homes  and  to  references,  instead  of 
acting  on  impressions  and  a  few  scattering  half  truths,  they 
would  hardly  have  made  the  mistake  of  handling  the  problems 
of  both  children  in  exactly  the  same  way. 

As  has  been  seen,  the  visitor's  report  at  once  suggests,  in 
the  case  of  John,  the  need  of  legal  control  in  order  to  protect  the 
child  from  the  interference  of  his  mother,  a  woman  proven  to 
be  unfit  to  have  the  custody  of  a  child.  The  fact  that  the  visitor 
found  relatives  who  were  willing  and  able  to  give  John  a  home, 
makes  it  seem  probable  that  he  need  never  have  entered  the 
institution  at  all  had  these  relatives  been  discovered  in  the 
beginning.  Because  it  did  not  know  of  them,  the  institution 
cared  for  the  child  for  three  years,  at  a  money  cost  of  approxi- 
mately $600,  enough  to  have  paid  the  salary  of  a  trained  visitor 
for  several  months. 

Even  if  the  relatives  had  not  taken  him  in  the  beginning, 
there  was  still  the  alternative  of  a  family  home  which  an  enter- 
prising visitor  could  probably  have  found.  At  the  time  the 
managers  took  John  into  the  institution  he  was  but  eight  years 
old,  an  age  when  children  may  be  satisfactorily  placed  out,  and  as 
there  was  little  likelihood  of  his  mother  ever  being  fit  to  resume 
care  of  him,  there  was  every  reason  for  adjusting  him  to  normal 
family  life  as  soon  as  possible. 

There  are  various  plans  that  a  resourceful  visitor  might 
have  worked  out  for  Jane.     In  her  case  there  was  every  reason 

16 


RECEPTION    OF    CHILDREN 

for  preserving  family  ties  by  keeping  the  mother  and  her  chil- 
dren together.  Perhaps  this  might  have  been  done  by  the  help 
of  other  agencies,  without  taking  the  child  into  the  institution 
at  all;  but  even  had  it  been  wise  for  her  to  enter  the  institution 
temporarily,  the  best  help  could  be  given  her  only  by  recon- 
structing and  reuniting  the  family.  No  one  of  the  managers 
had,  however,  found  out  about  the  physical  condition  of  the 
mother,  who,  while  Jane  was  being  cared  for  in  the  asylum,  was 
every  day  becoming  less  able  physically  to  resume  the  care  of 
her  children.  Then  there  was  the  question  of  accident  compen- 
sation for  the  father's  death.  Perhaps  the  Legal  Aid  Society 
which  existed  in  that  community,  or  the  institution's  own  attor- 
ney, could  have  brought  about  some  settlement  with  the  rail- 
road which  would  have  made  it  possible  to  keep  the  family 
together,  if  the  circumstances  of  the  father's  death  had  been 
considered.  The  possibility  was  at  least  worth  some  hard  effort 
to  obtain  such  compensation. 

There  were  four  other  children  in  these  two  families  about 
whom  the  institution  knew  nothing.  If  conditions  exist  which 
make  it  necessary  for  a  family  to  apply  for  care  for  one  child, 
it  is  almost  certain  that  these  conditions  will  affect  the  other 
children  also,  and  no  agency  should  make  a  plan  involving  one 
child  without  taking  the  others  into  account. 

Marie,  the  half  sister  of  John,  who  was  said  to  be  of  doubtful 
reputation  when  the  visitor  made  her  inquiry,  was  but  fourteen 
years  old  when  John  was  admitted  to  the  institution.  Had  the 
institution  known  about  the  mother's  character  at  that  time 
something  definite  might  have  been  done  to  protect  this  girl. 

In  Jane's  family,  the  visitor's  investigation  showed  one 
boy  whose  health  was  not  good,  and  one  who  had  ambitions 
which  would  suggest  the  wisdom  of  considering  whether  some 
educational  opportunities  should  not  be  provided  for  him  as  one 
step  in  reconstructing  the  family. 

All  of  these  steps,  which  might  have  been  suggested  by 
knowledge  of  the  family  histories  of  these  children,  were  impos- 
sible without  initial  investigation  and  records.  The  visitor's 
records  of  the  families  of  Jane  and  John  cover  the  facts  learned 

17 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

in  her  initial  investigation.  If  a  constructive  program  were  to 
be  worked  out  in  either  case,  additional  information  would  be 
needed  on  certain  points. 

There  is  nothing  especially  dramatic  or  spectacular  about 
the  stories  of  either  Jane  or  John.  Our  main  reason  for  choosing 
them  is  because  they  are  not  unusual,  but  representative  of  the 
way  in  which  children's  agencies  frequently  fail  to  realize  that 
they  can  not  help  a  child  thoroughly  or  safely  without  taking 
into  account  the  family  conditions  which  are  back  of  him. 

Of  course  it  is  not  expected  that  any  one  organization 
will  be  equipped  to  carry  out,  by  itself,  every  part  of  the  com- 
plex programs  which  careful  studies  of  conditions  often  show  to 
be  necessary  in  the  work  of  reconstructing  families.  Children's 
institutions  and  societies  must  co-operate  with  other  organiza- 
tions to  secure  medical  care,  employment,  legal  advice,  or  such 
other  assistance  as  may  be  needed  to  put  families  upon  their  feet. 
In  places  where  such  supplementary  agencies  do  not  exist  it 
is  part  of  the  work  of  children's  agencies  to  help  create  them. 

APPLICATION  BLANKS 

There  is  a  difference  of  opinion  among  those  in  charge  of 
child-caring  agencies  as  to  what  should  be  the  first  step  in  secur- 
ing these  family  history  records.  Some  think  that  the  parent 
or  guardian  should  be  required  to  make  a  written  application  for 
the  admission  of  a  child,  on  a  printed  form  provided  for  this 
purpose,  preliminary  to  any  action  by  the  agency.  Others 
believe  that  if  a  thorough  investigation  is  made  by  the  organiza- 
tion and  a  full  record  kept,  an  application  merely  duplicates 
this  information,  and  adds  nothing  of  value  to  the  record. 

It  is  true  that  the  information  covered  by  an  application 
blank  is  usually  duplicated  in  the  family  history  record,  yet  an 
application  may,  in  some  cases,  have  a  value  sufficient  to  offset 
this  objection.  Many  public  agencies,  for  instance,  consider 
written  applications  essential  in  order  to  protect  their  officials 
against  possible  charges  of  seeking  out  persons  to  aid;  and  the 
written  statement  of  an  applicant  may  also  be  useful  should 
legal  questions  arise  involving  a  child.     It  is  thought  by  many 

18 


RECEPTION    OF    CHILDREN 

workers  that  making  a  written  application  has  a  good  moral 
effect  upon  the  applicant.  In  any  case,  there  can  be  no  serious 
objection  to  the  use  of  an  application  blank  for  admission,  pro- 
vided the  agency  itself  makes  a  complete  and  independent 
inquiry. 

In  formulating  an  application  blank,  care  should  be  taken 
to  have  the  questions  simple  and  definite  and  to  frame  them  in 
such  a  way  that  the  person  answering  them  can  be  in  no  doubt 
as  to  the  exact  information  which  is  expected.  To  frame  ques- 
tions which  are  capable  of  but  a  single  interpretation  and  which 
cover  every  detail  of  the  information  wanted,  much  more  care 
and  thought  are  required  than  is  evidenced  in  many  application 
blanks. 

The  application  blank  of  the  Hershey  Industrial  School  in 
Pennsylvania  is  admirable  for  its  simplicity,  clearness,  and 
definiteness.  Form  3,  on  the  following  page,  shows  the  first  page 
of  this  blank.  Attention  is  called  to  the  following  excellent 
features: 

1 .  The  well  defined  columns  for  Questions  and  Answers, 
and  the  bold,  clear  type  in  which  those  words  appear. 

2.  The  numbering  of  questions  and  answers  to  correspond 
and  the  ruling  off  of  each  set  by  a  heavy  black  line.  This  helps 
to  focus  attention  upon  one  point  at  a  time  and  to  prevent  the 
overlooking  of  points. 

3.  The  definite  form  prescribed  for  replies,  which  might 
not  be  given  in  equal  detail  by  all  persons  if  specific  information 
were  not  called  for  on  the  form.    For  example: 

When  was  he  born?  Date 

Month 

Year 
Where  was  he  born?  City,  Borough  or  Township 

County 

State 

If  the  question  read  simply  "When  was  he  born?"  many 
replies  would  state  "  1901,"  "  1905,"  omitting  the  day  and  month. 
If  the  blank  asked  "Where  was  he  born?"  many  persons  would 
name  "Pennsylvania,"  "Italy,"  or  some  other  state  or  country, 

19 


APPLICATION 

To  the  Managers  of  the  Hershey  Industrial  School : 

The  undersigned  having  duly  considered  the  information  given  by  the  Managers  of  The  Her- 
shey Industrial  School  to  those  who  may  desire  to  place  poor,  healthy,  white,  male  orphan  children 
in  the  School,  and  the  conditions  for  the  admission  of  such  orphans,  hereby  applies  for  the  admission 
of /o-r^-^-r**^-^. 0~h^iTt*/??rr~^'. I  certify  the  answers  given  below  to  the  sev- 
eral questions  hereto  attached,  are  accurate  statements  of  the  facts.  Should  this  application  be 
granted,  I  bind  myself  to  comply  with  the,conditions  of  admission.      (a) 

»C  .     /^i^-h/t-* — I 
(Signature  of  applicant) 

(To  be  signed  by  the  mother,  or  if  ^  <jf    Jif~-y7      *&l- 

that  cannot  be  done,  then  by  the  guar-  JSSJB A^*-^     ^K- 

dian,  next  friend,  or  other  competent  J  (Residence)  ^_^ 

authority-)  oo  Im^J-^L, ?«-: 

(Postoffice  addf&s) 


QUESTIONS 

1.  What  is  the  name  of  the  orphan  for 
whose  admission  into  The  Hershey  Indus- 
trial School  the  above  application  is  made  ? 


ANSWERS 

(State  the  Name  in  Mil) 


2.    When  was  he  born  ? 


2.   Date &£. _.... 

.Month SkLMiAsJkL. 

Year /Hf 


3.   Where  was  he  born  ? 


3.   City,  Borough  or  Township ff<lW~*^Ari***<L 

County ^t^S^4jA*!SOhS.  " 

State Qj*Z~ 


4.   When  were  his  parents  married  ? 


4.    Date S_. 

Month *?%4*1  .. 

Year 


m't 


Jyy^l^^^^^h'' 


5.    Where  were  his  parents  married  ? 


5.    City 

Borough  or  Township 

County           orTll-t-t^^L-M- 
State UO-' 

parents  married  ?     6.  C^O^-a-^V'S/l-c-**^  /£/£"^enC-     fylAi    <M;, 


whom  were  his 


7.    What  w.-.s  his  father's  name  ? 


j*4~- 


8.    What  was  his  father's  occupation  ?        8.  <dfe  (i^AyjI^uu^lA, 

Form  No.  3.     Application  for  Admission 
Hershey  Industrial  School,  Hershey,  Pa. 
(Size  8x13  inches) 
a  It  is  thought  that  many  institutions  will  find  it  desirable  to  omit  specifications 
in  regard  to  sex  and  color  from  this  introductory  statement,  and  to  add  numbered  ques- 
tions covering  these  points  to  the  body  of  the  form  immediately  following  question  I. 
6  It  is  suggested  that  a  space  be  provided    under  "Signature  of  applicant"    for 
"Relationship  of  applicant  to  child." 


20 


9.   What  is  the  father's  religion  ? 

10.   Where  does  the  father  live? 

ii.    If  the  father  is  dead, 
When  did  he  die? 
Where  did  he  die? 
What  was  the  cause  of  his  death? 

12.  What  is  the  mother's  name  ? 

13.  What  is  the  mother's  occupation? 

14.  What  is  the  mother's  religion? 

15.  Where  does  the  mother  live? 

16.  If  the  mother  is  dead, 
When  did  she  die  ? 
Where  did  she  die? 

What  was  the  cause  of  her  death? 

17.  How  many  brothers  and  sisters  has  the  child? 
Give  name,  age,  and  address  of  each. 

18.  Give  names  and  addresses  of  near  relatives  of  father. 

19.  Give  names  and  addresses  of  near  relatives  of  mother. 

20.  What  school  did  the  child  last  attend? 
Where  is  it  located  ? 

What  was  his  teacher's  name  ? 

21.  What  is  the  name  of  the  family  physician? 
What  is  his  address  ? 

22.  What  is  the  pastor's  name? 
What  is  his  address? 

23.  Has  the  child  any  known  physical  or  mental  defects  ? 

24.  What  is  your  reason  for  wishing  to  have  the  child  admitted  to  this 
institution? 

Additional  Questions  Suggested  by  the  Author  for  Form  3 

21 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR   CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

without  mention  of  the  town  or  county.  The  carefully  specified 
subdivisions  under  these  questions  help  to  insure  full  replies. 

Page  i  of  the  blank  of  the  Hershey  Industrial  School  is 
given  without  change  to  show  the  general  style  of  this  form.  For 
subsequent  pages,  questions  9-24,  which  are  more  applicable  to 
institutions  in  general,  have  been  substituted.  If  used  in  con- 
junction with  Form  3,  they  should  be  arranged  to  conform  to 
the  general  plan  of  that  blank.  Adequate  space  should  be 
allowed  for  listing  names  and  addresses  under  questions  17,  18, 
and  19.  In  making  use  of  these  suggested  questions,  agencies 
may  often  find  it  necessary  to  modify  them  to  fit  their  special 
admission  requirements. 

The  application  blank  is  intended  to  bring  out  such  infor- 
mation as  may  be  properly  asked  from  the  parents  or  guardian 
of  a  child,  leaving  additional  facts  to  be  obtained  by  the  visitor 
when  a  formal  investigation  is  made. 

FAMILY  HISTORY  RECORDS 

Family  history  record  blanks  are  necessary  for  recording 
the  results  of  investigations  whether  or  not  a  written  application 
for  admission  has  been  made. 

A  family  history  record  should  show  clearly  certain  facts 
about  each  member  of  the  family,  living  and  dead, — the  name, 
age,  sex,  the  race,  nationality,  and  religion.  Because  of  the 
close  connection  which  often  exists  between  ill  health  and  de- 
pendency, the  physical  and  mental  condition  of  each  member 
should  be  noted,  and  if  any  are  dead,  the  cause  of  death.  The 
card  should  show  how  many  children  are  in  school,  how  many 
members  of  the  family  are  working,  their  occupations,  income, 
and  efficiency.  The  habits  and  reputation  of  the  parents  and 
children  should  also  be  carefully  determined  and  recorded. 

In  order  to  learn  these  facts  it  is  usually  necessary  to  con- 
sult several  sources  of  information,  and  the  family  history  record 
should  include  the  names  and  addresses  of  relatives,  friends,  and 
disinterested  persons  and  organizations,  such  as  physicians, 
employers,  unions,  churches,  and  so  on,  who  may  be  able  to 
co-operate  or  to  give  information  which  will  be  helpful  in  develop- 

22 


RECEPTION    OF   CHILDREN 

ing  a  plan  for  the  child.  The  sources  of  information  which  prove 
valuable  in  one  case  may  not  be  equally  useful  in  another,  but 
in  making  an  investigation  one  never  knows  what  particular  bit 
of  information  will  prove  to  be  the  master-key  to  a  situation,  and 
it  is  always  desirable,  in  case  one  line  of  approach  fails,  to  have 
others  to  follow. 

There  will  always  be  instances,  of  course,  where  it  will  not 
be  possible  to  secure  all  of  the  items  called  for  on  a  family  his- 
tory blank,  but  the  failure  to  secure  facts  should  not  be  due  to 
any  lack  of  effort  on  the  part  of  those  making  the  inquiry. 

To  persons  unfamiliar  with  investigation  and  record  keep- 
ing as  it  is  now  practiced  by  the  most  effective  children's  agencies, 
many  of  the  points  contained  in  the  family  history  record  blanks 
may  seem  irrelevant  and  useless.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  however, 
every  one  has  significance.  They  have  not  been  adopted  arbi- 
trarily, but  have  been  incorporated,  one  by  one,  as  experience 
has  shown  that  they  have  an  important  bearing  upon  child-car- 
ing problems. 

Records  of  membership  in  lodges  or  unions,  previous  ad- 
dresses and  previous  employers,  for  example,  seem  to  some 
persons  to  have  no  value  in  the  work  of  investigation.  A  few 
instances,  however,  will  show  that  points  which  seem  to  many 
managers  quite  remote  may  be  of  immediate  use  when  more 
direct  means  fail. 

Previous  Employers. — Through  a  man's  previous  employer,  a 
children's  agency  secured  information  which  enabled  it  to  return  a  baby 
who  had  been  abandoned  by  its  mother,  to  relatives  who  had  been  search- 
ing for  them. 

The  mother  had  left  her  husband  and  gone  to  a  distant  city  with 
another  man,  taking  her  baby  with  her.  She  soon  found  herself  homeless 
and  applied  for  shelter  at  a  rescue  home.  Shortly  after  this  she  aban- 
doned her  baby,  and  the  institution  asked  the  children's  agency  to  care 
for  the  child.  By  following  up  small  clues,  the  society  learned  the  name 
of  a  previous  employer  of  the  man  with  whom  the  mother  had  eloped. 
The  employer  had  a  record  of  the  references  which  the  man  had  given 
him,  and  by  means  of  these  references  the  society  was  able  to  find  the 
baby's  father,  who  came  on  and  claimed  the  child.  Without  the  infor- 
mation which  this  former  employer  gave,  the  society  would  not  have 

23 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR   CHILD-HELPING   ORGANIZATIONS 

been  able  to  trace  the  father,  as  both  the  mother  and  the  man  had  dis- 
appeared and  all  other  clues  had  failed. 

Benefit  Societies,  Unions,  Lodges,  Insurance  Companies, 
etc. — A  woman  who  had  been  deserted  by  her  husband  applied  to  an 
organization  for  aid.  The  society  learned  from  the  woman  that  her 
husband  was  a  member  of  the  Stage  Carpenters'  Union.  With  the 
help  of  the  union  the  man  was  located,  brought  back  to  the  city  by  the 
state's  attorney,  put  on  probation,  and  ordered  to  pay  a  stipulated  sum 
to  his  family  each  week.  The  manager  of  the  union  assisted  the  society 
by  holding  the  club  of  expulsion  over  the  father  in  case  he  should  fail  to 
support  his  family.  The  man  kept  up  his  payments  and  later  re-estab- 
lished his  family  in  a  comfortable  home.  Without  the  help  which  the 
union  rendered,  this  family  would  probably  have  been  a  charge  upon 
the  society  for  a  number  of  years. 

Previous  Addresses. — A  children's  agency  was  asked  to  care  for 
a  child  whose  mother  had  placed  him  with  a  family  to  board  and  later 
deserted  him.  The  only  clue  which  the  agency  had  was  a  previous  ad- 
dress of  the  mother.  The  agent  called  at  this  address,  where  he  learned 
the  name  of  a  previous  employer  and,  through  the  employer,  the  name  of 
a  relative.  The  relative  arranged  for  the  boy  to  be  returned  to  his 
father,  after  it  was  found  that  he  was  a  well-to-do  farmer  who  had  been 
searching  for  the  boy  for  more  than  a  year.  Without  this  previous 
address,  which  to  some  might  appear  to  be  a  slight  clue,  neither  the 
mother's  employer  nor  the  relative  who  succeeded  in  solving  this  child's 
problem  could  have  been  located,  and  the  child  would  probably  have 
been  a  permanent  charge  upon  charity. 

It  is  not  necessary  here  to  multiply  instances  and  go  into 
a  discussion  of  the  ways  in  which  all  of  the  various  points  on  a 
family  history  record  may  be  utilized  in  solving  the  problems 
of  dependency  and  delinquency.  For  a  detailed  discussion  of 
the  uses  of  the  different  points,  workers  are  referred  to  a  manual 
entitled  The  Charity  Visitor,*  by  Amelia  Sears,  which  takes 
up  each  item  on  the  family  history  blank  and  shows  how  it  bears 
upon  the  work  of  investigation. 

The  following  family  history  records  have  been  selected 
as  representative  of  the  standards  of  investigation  among  some 
of  the  experienced  and  progressive  child-caring  organizations: 
(Text  continues  on  page  38.) 

*  Published  by  Chicago  School  of  Civics  and  Philanthropy,  1913. 
24 


Name     Gabrowski 


RECEPTION    OF    CHILDREN 

No.    21906 
Ward      ttrj 


Visitor 
S.  D.  Evans 


Cross  References^       Samuel  Cohen. 


1  Jacob 

2  Ida  (Cob en) 


JO      Russian.        Heb.       W. 


/;  Bessie 
-  Fannie 
9    Sarah 


AEe    Dale  of  birth    Nationality 

10  3/l/03Rus8iao 
5  6/7/0SAmer. 
5  6/7/OSAmsr. 


Thompson  -  2nd  Grade     9S7  Black  St. 


John  Gabrowski 


Tailor    paternal  uncle  987  Black  St. 


Insurance.  Lcxtge.  Club.. 


•»&  and  2)957  Black  St.$12mo      j    none     IO/16/1913  Dirty,  disorderly.    Hany  saloons,  a  danc 

20  hall  and  cheap  theatres  in  neighborhood. 


-: 
26 
27 
28 
29 

Sinon  Gabrowski 
Barry  Gabrowski 
Isaac  Cohen 

Carpenter 

Painter 

Tailor 

paternal  uncle  1  Rowe  PI. nr. Clay  St 
■               ■             a                     n 

naternal  uncle  9  Whitmore  St. 

Overseers  of  Poor  H/2/19U 
Hebrew  Benevolent  H/5/19H 
Uass.Gen'l  Hospital  1/9/1912 
School  Visitor,  Hubert  Sch. 
Psycopathic  Hospital  IO/21/13. 
Mrs.  L.  A.  Carr,  Probation 
Officer,  Juvenile  Court. 

33 
34 
35 
M 

37 

Tin.e,„      (1)            (2)         (7) 

ci.y      5yrs  Uyrs  Uyra 
»•«     5yrs  Uyrs  Uyrs 
us,     5yrs  Uyrs  Uyra 

Ura.  L.  A.  Carr 


Juvenile  Court 


for  No.  7 


_Delinq,uency,poverty  10/S/lJ 


Form  No.  4A.     Family  History  Record  (Face) 

Used  by  Boston  Children's  Aid  Society  and  Children's  Bureau,  Philadelphia 

(Size  S}4  x  io>^  inches) 

25 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


86  Second' Ave 

192.^1502 

liiss  Clark,   Thompaon  School 

289  Grant  fit, 

Dr.  L.  B.  Black rPayehopathlc  Hoep. 

Dr.  Jiary  Frank  r5S_Day.  St. 

,  phyaical  and  mental  condition  t 

■&     (l)    Phyalnally  wank,   a*+hmn  *  rhaimnt^an^   has   auffarad    from  land  polaonlng.   Torlca   irragiilnrlj 
-w-  Savara  with  children,   dlaagraaahla  at  homa^ 


lermuaneaa ,  had  hyatarla  and  fainting  apalla  aa  a  child,  vary  deaf. — Sick  moat  of 


Jtha_jtia 


■»    (7)  Arraatad  for  ateallng  and  a  ex  offenaea.. 


. (Sae  paychologlnal  rayort  attached) 


.  -se-    (14  2)   yfsouth  .qt . 

1909" 

""*""'■  R"""°c" 

Dat. 

■»    (1*2)   S3  Woleott  St. 

1910 

«♦    (14  2)   Jl  South  St. 

1Q12 

■«*- 

«e_  26_and_?J_unmarried ,_ 


»  28  has  four  children,  oldaat  Ik. (?e*  $»-m*\   Cohan,  a  ward  of  thla  Society) 

jw  15  boarda  with  1  and.  2  to  help  family. Paya  $k  Wk. 


Form  No.  4B.  (Reverse) 


26 


1 

I.  wry 

1 

Care  of  3  children 

! 

91 

DA,tOP..T»PPL,e»T,0» 

AOOH.. 

NO.   ROOMS              1          RENT  PE.  MO. 

URSANOR  RURAL 

June.  15,.  1911 

SorthviUe 

2           |      $U 

rural 

,„„«.»,»..»■...,«»»... 

-»■•«»»«««« 

wD°°E'»°Er 

N.T.OHAL.TTAHO.AO. 

""coSht,  '" 

1;L,UTER»T°ER 

fc. 

HosftT 

Nellie  D.    (Schmidt) 

a 
m 

widow 

Am.  white 
Am.  white 

Life 
Life 

Life 
Life 

literate 
literate 

- 

oAT.or.mTH 

A°.VAT 

«"»OK 

ssss 

WAOWPE.WK. 

PHTMsf=»T'o°FRECT 

wHE»nr0TuTS 

-- 

'    "AN      Home 
I    *•  "<""M    Wei 

r 
Lie 

9/6/I896 
10/16/98 

-9A901 
7/10/1903 
3/5/1907 
3/1909 

35 

1* 

12 
9 

7 
k 

1 

N.T.stat 
N.Y.stat 

Hudson 
n 

Northvil 
n 

»  Prot 
1  Prot 

Prot 

n 

n' 

.9      " 

night 
watchman 

Uth  Grade 
21  Grade 
2d  Grade 
attended 

$50  mo. 

died  of  can 
stomach 
heart, 
trouble 

er  of 

- 

».L.«™ 

SEX 

"iSiS" 

L 

■  James 

*  Gertrude. 

••  Albert 
'•  Florence 

•  Mary 

m 
i 

m 
m 
t 
I 

L. 
L. 
L. 
L. 
L. 
L. 

with  mother 

n              11 
n              it 

- 

«. 

«««" 

„To 

•~""s"°  -"«>- 

AOCRESS 

„ECAT,ONSH,P 

Kra.  Agnes  Good 

29 

sister 

2 

Mrs.  Chas.  Allen 
Mrs.  Robt.  Fuller 
Mrs.  Robt.  Boyd 
Mrs.  Mary  Goodwin 
Mr.  H.  L.  Long 

Northville 
n 

87  State  St.,Catskill 
Trivoli 
Police  Station,Cohoes 

neighbor 
friend 
friend 
friend 
H.3.  agent 

««.«.»«.  HOT  IM  HO- 

•»•»»• 

"'"'"" 

« 

REMAPS 

llr.    4  Mrs 

Wm.  Lowry 
Elizabeth 
Mrs.  Lydii 
Mrs.  Chas 
Grant  Low 
Mrs.  Geo. 
Mrs.  Magg 
Miss  Lucy 
John  Schm 
Mra.  Geo. 
Mrs.   Ida  I 

Jc 

Lot 
1  Gi 
F< 
ry 

Sai 
Le  £ 

Set 
Ldt 

Brc 
Jeye 

hn  Lo 

ry 

imee 
rd 

th 

chmld 

imidt 

wn 

r 

I 

»ry 

t 

rORM 
St 

N 
ate 

3. 

c 

27 

n 

n 
L 
2 
N 
Hi 

9 

5A 

ha 

We 

ike 
3S 
.  G 
art 
Drt 

5  P 

rit 

( 

St 

n 

PI 
Pro 
arm 
sda 
hvi 

rin 

Fa 
es 

Siz 

St. 

aci 

spa 

ant 

le 

lis 

C9    5 

MI 

Aic 

,  Mechs 

I 

:t  St. 
)wn 

»t.,  Bu 

.y  Hi 

i  Assc 
4x  11 

27 

nicville 
n 
Geneva 

ffalo 

STORY    RECO 

ciation,  New 
inches) 

parents 

brother 

sister 

sister 

sister 

brother 

niece 

mother 

sister 

brother 

sister 

sister 

iiD  (Face) 
York 

z 
2 
2 
2 
2 

2  chil 

3  chil 

1  chil 

2  chil 

dren 
dren 

d 
dren 

RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


INSTITUTION  RECORD  OF  FAMILY  PREVIOUS  TO 

AND  AT 

riME  OF  I.t  APPLICATION 

h... 

C.U.. 

D.,.O,.0.,...OH 

o.T.orD..c-..« 

•»M» 

James  Lowry 

Juvanlle  Court 

Petty 
larceny 

Sept.  1910 

Sept.  1910 

Returned  to  parents  or 
probation 

COMMITMENT  OF  CHILDREN  TO  INSTITUTION  AND  PLACEMENT  IN  BOARDING  OR  FREE  HOMES  SUBSEQUENT  TO  1st  AP. 

mm. 

.HST.TUT.OH  O.  MOM. 

O.T.  O,  .0-,..,O~ 

O.T.  OF  o,.c».«r 

0..P0..T.0H 

Uyron 
Albert 
Florence 
llary 

Albany  Orphan  Aeylua 

a            m           m 
n               n               » 

»              ■              w 

July  10,  1913 

■ 
■ 

Sept.  8,  1913 

Placed  In  family  home 

■        m        ■        ■ 

DEATHS  OCCURRING  IN  FAMILY  SUBSEQUENT  TO  In  APPLICATION 

.»« 

O.T. 

,L.C. 

c.u.. 

lire.  John  Lowry 
Mr.  John  Lowry 

Sept.  1913 
Feb.     191LV 

Uechanicvllle 
Uechanlcvllle 

PneuBonla 
Paralysis 

CHANGES  IN  ADDRESS  SUBSEQUENT  TO  In  APPLICATION 

XT. 

.CO.... 

.THT...-OH.H 

•— is 

Dec.  11,  1S15 
April  7,  191* 

118  Ualn  St.,  * 
82  Ooff  St., 

och 

anlcville 

n 

3 

3 

$8 
$6 

urban 

Form  No.  5B.     (Reverse) 
28 


RECEPTION    OF    CHILDREN 


BOARD   OF  CHILDREN'S  GUARDIANS 

CITY  OF   ST.   LOUIS 

investigators  report  of 
Application  to  take  Charge  of  Children 


--Indefinite. I     Hn;    dranlf    gnrt^  gambl  «r»  £}a\„£m    *">rr  **& 


Dow  Run,    Mo. 


ead  Uinee  6  Uoa. 


^Sa^ojn -keeper.  Carpenter,  etu_ __ 


loven  him, but   reatmta  abusive 


treatment   of   her. 


1000    Franklin   AveiReBtauralit;K:ltchen      Since   7-1-13 


$6.50   pej 


£ood. 


,....&>.J..,xyHwij^jiRrTH4FMLto^. '  ,.Q,»rt.  itfi&ftv. &$.*<■».»«  ro0fn  nni*  board.    Good, 

il.    to   2  P.M.    1  Without   tvuQerrlsloal   References   apeak  highly   of  mnthp.r. 

6     P.M.         Itn+Mm*     +oU^«    v._\...    _j^,_     . 


i  P.M.    to  6   P.M.      Mother   take*  baby  with  h«r-. 


Form  No.  6a.     Family  History  Record  (Face) 

(Size  8K  x  i  iK  inches) 

29 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


AMPLICATION    NO. 


ING  CONDITIONS. 


2JJA 


7-1-13  900   Franklin. 


Rooming  H.    1 


11.50   tc.    i-lrs.   Henry,    900   Franklin. 


6-13-115   9000 ._ wash lngton 


„rs.    Slvere.9000  WaBhingto 


i___ 34?9  QliY«   St. 


te.OO 


■Tnhnwnn,  3439    ni  iv. 


s«mit«»>y  cowoiTioN«.     Fair  only;   Building  old  three-story  brick;    poorly  ventilated. 

Ht.cmo.Hooo coNomoNs.     Fair  only;    business  dlstrict;heavy  traffic;very  poor   for  children 


family  own  ant  .nopem 

T.            B0 

ne. 

CHARITY-CHURCH -ORGANIZATION -RECORD 

KNOWN 

R. 

INDIVIDUALS  KNOWING  APPLICANT 

!>'. 

CHURCH  AFriUATION 

Ca-Appfl, 

Member  of  no  Church  since 

9  55    Franklin 

» 

she   left  Dow  Run.    Mo;    was  member 

900    Franklin 

• 

of  Baptist  Church   there. 

Charles  Henzel 

1000   Franklin 

• 

1  Yr. 

Tnd 

r.   Fred  Inglish 

1000   Franklin 

a 

« 

? 

PRESENT   FAMILY  INCOME  AND  EXPENSES  PER  MONTH 

INCOME  AND  EXPENSE  WITH  CHILDREN  AWAY. 

.MOTH***"                26 

00 

RENT 

6. 

00 

1  MOTHER                             26 

.00 

RENT 

no 

sProvldent        5 

00 

FOOD 

20. 

40 

jlleals  at          3 

.00 

F003                                   8. 

30 

Food  from 
'Restaurant      6 

00 

CLOTHING 

8. 

00 

Restaurant  ~ 

cumiM                  2. 

QO 

-Benov.Indv.    2 

00 

INSURANCE 

?. 

00 

■ 

CAR  FARE 

8 

, 

FUEL-LIGHT 

1  . 

50 

, 

T 

Misc. Exp. 

?. 

00 

T 

5(J 

s 

, 

TOTAL  INCOME     $39.00 

TOTAL  EXP. 

M.fSO 

TOTAL  INCOME             29.00 

TOTAL  EXP.             ,9.nf, 

remarks       Insurance   reduced. 


Children  placed   in  Industrial   School   for   schooling  and  super-rlalon. 

$8.00  a  month  for  three  months;    a  new  rate  at   that  time. 

Mother  "glib"   talker;    never  at   lone  for  word;    has   shifting  eye  and  at 


first  favorably   Impresses  one,    but   after  two  visits  diecrepenclee  arose  whloh 

called  for  rigid  investigation.    See   story  she-at;    a^hnpi    record   *nd  nt_.t»w»nt.  0f 

u&^H^Ustomu>rTiw' 

Recommend  Case  be  made  in  Juvenile  Court  and  children  h„  rt«ri«r»ri  n«gltete^ 

and  committed  to  Board  of  Children's  Guardian-.  t.n  eh.  1»f»»i  "?ntrol  T-d  Board. 


___" 1-13-14. 


Ylaltor 


J~ 


AgENTS  ACTIO* 


That  Application  be    denied   and   Case   made    in  .Tuvanil-   nrmrt   aw  -p_T-  Vt«Unrit 
recommendation. 


A.    F»irba_, 


Form  No.  6b.     (Second  Sheet) 
30 


RECEPTION    OF    CHILDREN 

application  no.  A-9  STORY   SHEET  case  no .2.  0  */■ 

12-5-13.  Thomas  H.  Rogers,  Mayor's  Secretary,  telephoned  that  Mr.  D.  Simms,  Tea 
Merchant,  955  Franklin  Ave.,  notified  him  that  lira.  Kay  Brown,  the  appli- 
cant, with  her  four  children,  living  at  900  Franklin  Ave.,  was  without 
food  and  clothing  because  the  mother  was  unable  to  work,  she  having  just 
returned  from  the  City  Eospital. 

12-5-13.  Called  on  applicant;  lives  in  one  room  in  Rooming-house  at  900  Frank- 
lin; prior  to  giving  birth  to  Erwin  (at  City  Hospital, 11-15-13) ;  she 
worked  in  the  Kitchen  of  the  .Restaurant  run  by  C.A.Appel,  800  Franklin; 
earned  v&>50  per  week  and  was  allowed  to  take  some  of  the  unused  food 
home  to  her  children.  Owing  to  mother's  weakened  condition  she  has  not 
worked  for  three  weeks  and  children  are  without  food  and  clothing.  The 
landlady,  Mrs.  Henry,  and  neighborhood  merchants  have  given  her  assist- 
ance.  The  applicant  states  that  her  husband  deserted  her  July  1912  at 
Dow  Run,  Mo.;  that  she  did  not  see  him  or  hear  from  hin  until  April 
1913  when  she  was  with  him  one  day.   She  stated  that  he  frequently  got 
into  trouble  through  drinking  and  gambling;  that  he  got  all  his  money 
by  gambling;  that  he  sometimes  abused  and  mistreated  her,  but  that  she 
loves  him  nevertheless.  Applicant  spoke  feelingly  of  her  love  for  her 
children  and  her  desire  to  do  well  for  them  and  cried  at  the  thought 
of  having  to  part  with  them.  She  gave  the  names  and  addresses  of  pre- 
vious employers.  Provident  Association,  Attendance  Department,  etc., 
as  per  History  Sheet. 

12-5-13.  Phoned  Provident  Association  for  emergency  rations  pending  completion 
of  investigation. 

12-5-13.  Phoned  Charity  Registration  Bureau;  Case  registered  by  Provident  As- 
sociation and  Attendance  Department,  Board  of  Education. 

12-5-13.  Called  on  C.A.  Appel,  Restaurant  Prop.,  800  Franklin,  who  stated  that 
he  had  known  applicant  for  about  six  months  and  that  she  was  a  hard 
working  woman  and  a  good  woman,  and  seemed  devoted  to  her  children,  and 
that  he  would  heartily  recommend  her  for  assistance. 

12-5-13.  Called  on  D.  Simms,  Tea  Merchant,  955  Franklin,  President,  Franklin 

Avenue  Improvement  Association,  who  stated  that  he  had  helped  the  woman 
at  the  request  of  the  Improvement  Association,  and  so  far  as  he  knew 
she  was  ver^   worthy  and  he  would  recommend  her  for  relief. 

12-5-13.  Called  on  Fred  Inglish.1000  Franklin,  who  stated  he  had  helped  the 
woman  because  requested  to  do  so  by  Mr.  Simms;  knew  very  little  about 
her  but  thought  she  was  worthy  of  relief. 

12-5-13.  Saw  Mrs.  Naunheim.  Attendance  Officer,  Board  of  Education,  who  was 
surprised  to  learn  that  applicant  was  still  in  town.  Stated,  that  the 
children  had  failed  to  attend  the  Crow  School  during  April  1913.  On- 
investigation  she  learned «that  the  mother  was  working  in  the  Grand 
Laundry,  3200  Lawton  and  was  away  from  the  children  practically  all  day; 
that  Loretta  took  care  of  Graoe  and  Clfarles,  but  that  she  wa3  a  very 
forward  and  worldly-wise  child  and  was  fast  developing  into  a  delin- 
quent. Mrs.  Haunheim  was  amazed  to  learn  that  there  was  a  son  Erwin, 
three  weeks  old,  because  applicant  had  told  her  she  was  a  widow.  At 
time  of  her  investigation  applicant  told  her  that  she  had  just  completed 
arrangements  to  return  to  her  relatives  in  the  country  at  Oates.Mo.; 
that  the  following  week  Mrs.  Naunheim  assisted  her  to  the  Iron  Mountain 
Train  and  that  she  had  received  a  postcard  from  the  applicant,  postmark- 
ed "Oates,  Mo.n  stating  she  had  arrived  there  safely. 

12-5-13.  Phoned  Mrs.  Jones,  Provident  Association,  who  stated  that  they  knew 
practically  nothing  of  the  applicant  and  that  they  had  given  relief  to 
her  at  the  request  of  M^s.  Naunheim  of  the  Attendance  Department. 

Form  No.  6c.     (Story  Sheet) 

31 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

application  no.    A-9  STORY  SHEET  CAse  no  3.  0  *£ 

12-6-13.  Called  on  Mrs.  Johnson,  landlady,  rooming-house  3439  Olive  Street,  who 
stated  that  applicant  had  stayed  one  week  at  Oates,  Ho.,  had  returned- 
with  her  children  and  roomed  with  Mrs.  Johnson  until  about  June  10.  19131 . 

'■Then  she  left  she  stated  that  she  had  gotten  a  position  in  a  rooming- 
house  on  Washington  Avenue,  near  City  Limits,  'but  didn't  know  address, 
lire.  Johnson  stated  that  applicant  was  a  smooth  talker,  had  a  ready- 
tongue  and  "wouldn't  know  the  truth  if  she  saw  it  coming  down  the  street." 

Said  that  applicant  frequently  had  men  oallers  but  that  she  had  never 
heard  her  speak  of  her  husband  and  understood  that  he  was  dead.  She 
would  not  recommend  applioant  for  relief,  but  thought  the  children 
should  be  put  into  an  Institution  as  they  stole  everything  they  got 
their  hands  on. 

12-6-13.  Phoned  City  Hospital  Maternity  Ward;  Miss  Murphy  in  charge  said  that 

the  Brown  baby  was  a  full  time  child,  and  that  Mrs.  Brown  was  exceeding- 
ly hard  to  manage;  that  she  had  a  shifting  eye,  and  in  her  judgment  waa 
not  telling  the  truth. 

12-6-13.  Called  at  9000  Washington  Avenue;  rooming-house;  Mrs.  Eggers,  Prop. 
She  stated  that  applicant  was  a  good  worker  but  that  she  wa3  oompelled 
to  ask  her  to  leave  after  two  weeks  trial  in  July  1913,  because  she 
couldn't  stand  the  noise  of  the  children,  and  because  the  applicant 
tried  to  "make  up*  with  the  solicitors  who  came  for  orders. 

12-6-13.   Letters  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Brown,  Iron  Mt . ,  Mo. 
M.S.  Price,  Dow  Hun,  Mo. 
John  Waters,  East  St.  Louis,  Ills., 
No  replies  received;  letters  not  returned. 

12-7-13.  Saw  Officer  Maloney,  Eighth  District,  who  stated  that  he  was  making  a 
case  against  applicant  in  April  1913  when  she  suddenly  disappeared.  Said 
the  children  were  terribly  neglected  and  that  he  wanted  them  placed  into 
some  Institution  where  they  would"  be  taken  care  of.  Said  he  had  suffi- 
cient information  and  could  bring  the  necessary  witnesses  to  make  a  case. 
He  promised  to  file  information  at  once  and  to  notify  the  Attendance  De- 
partment and  Board  of  Children's  Guardians  of  the  hearing. 

12-7-13.  Called  on  applicant  who  reasserted  that  her  husband  was  the  father  of 
her  child  Erwin,  that  she  never  went  out  and  always  stayed  home  with  her 
children.   Applicant  seemed  quite  excited  at  questions  put  to  her  and 
talked  rapidly;  finally  said  that  she  was  through  with  St.  Louis  and  was 
going  to  her  folks  in  the  Country.  That  she  d"idn't  want  anything  done 
for  her  and  "would  they  please  drop  the  matter." 

12-7-13.  Phoned  Mrs.  Jones,  Provident  Association,  who  promised  to  6ee  that 
family  was  supplied  with  food  and  clothing  until  Police  Dept .  made 
Neglect  Case  in  Juvenile  Court. 

12-7-13.  Recommended  that  case  be  closed  as  far  as  Board  of  Children's  Guard- 
ians is  concerned  because  case  is  not  only  dependent  but  a  neglect  oase 
and  legal  control  of  the  children  will  be  necessary. 

1-5-14.  Hearing  before  Judge  Hennings,  Juvenile  Court,  where  children  were 

deolared  neglected  and  committed  to  the  Board  of  Children's  Guardians, 
and  mother  was  ordered  to  pay  $B.OO  per  month  on  the  first  of  each  month. 

l-f6-14.  Children  delivered  to  Home  Department  of  the  Industrial  School  for 
placement  by  the  Board  of  Children's  Guardians. 


Form  No.  6d.     (Story  Sheet,  Concluded) 
32 


RECEPTION    OF   CHILDREN 


23aard  of  ^tat*  Charities— Ci?itf»ri>n'B  Hlrlfarr  Eepartttn»nt 

1010  tSartmnn  Building,  Columbus,  (Dhio 


FAMILY  HISTORY  OF  A  DEPENDENT  CHILD 


Date.. 


June..l6,  I91U No 289.. 

Surname  of  child Bodftn Sex Male. Color.......! hit* 

;hild's  first  name Jamflfl Date  of  birth Mch^...  IS  , ... 1910  

>Iace  of  birth YOUngStPWn  r...QhiQ Present  age 1*.  yra.   2.  mo.. Baptized Hft 


Name 

|      ACE 

Residence 

Harold.  E. 

J  13 

c/o  i.e. 

,c/o...SJ). 

..Jone.a.,10 ..Mill  St  ^foungatown  ,0 . 

Lucy  May 

I...11 .. 

Sisters 

Roger  S. 

1 9 

n                         n                           n 

Brothers    ■< 

AND 

lawrenc.e....C.. 



! 7 

1 
1 

County  Children' a  Hone,Yaungatow.n.,  a,.. 

1 
1 

Father  of  Child 


Mother  of  Child 


uii  name ]     Ferdinand  Boden jAda  M .  (Milla).  Baden.. 

•ate  of  lirth.. .1 Aug....22,187^ I Juljr...22.,lS7-6 

lace  of  birth I     Youngatown,  0. j Alliance, -Or 


\ddress,  if  Iivii 

Ireed  .._ 

)ccupation  


275  Broad  St,, Youngatown     ! (dead,V 


-| Protestant - | Protaatant. 

! Conductor j Momekeapar 


npioyer I Erie.  .Ba.ilro.ad. .. 


..$100,. 


ntemperate 


.onsumptive .-. 

entally  or  physically  defective... 

ipasms  or  spells  or  epilepsy 

yphilkic    _ 


Jexual  pervert— 

ntenced  to  jail  or  prison.- _. 

nmate  of  any  other  institution — name 
f  dead,  date. 


5/51/13  Jail  ,r  ,Hoifr«ugport. 


Sept,.  ,20,  1913, 


death.. 


i 27 

fright1 a  Dieaaae 


Form  No.  ja.     Family  History  Record  (Face) 
(Size  8}4  x  1 1  inches) 

33 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


RELATIVES  OF  FATHER  OF  CHILD 


Name 

Address 

Ip  Dead 

Physical  or 

Menial 

Delects 

(See    Notes) 

If  Ever  In- 
mate of  any 

Dale 

Age 

Cause 

Institution, 
Give  Name 

dead 

9/12/np 

fin 

!>"—««<« 

A 

-T 

275  Broad  St. 

18  Sill  Si.    " 

Brothers 

Sisters 

Other 
Relatives 

RELATIVES  OF  MOTHER  OF  CHILD 

Samuel  Mills 

Api.iqo 

,  fir 

Droosv 

23  Lake  St. 

JlH»ni-s,    0. 

f    Morris 

dead 

Dec.  1 91C 

kc 

Accidentally 
shot 

28  Lake  St. 
Alliance,    0. 

Half 
Brothers 

Sarah    (MrB.S.D 

^ilarJ!  fc« 

Sisters 

Other 
Relatives 

Notii     In  preparation  of  above  data  uae  the  following  eymbola  in  nent  to  lail  Column:     A.— alcoholic;   B— blind;   E-— epileptic; 
inded:   S.-aypb>lilic;   S.  P.-aexual  pervert 

In    the    la»t    column    me    the    following:      B.  S  — Boya'    Indualrial    School:  CM.— Chi 

Ir.l,    (.    S-'i.l-'    In.lu.inal    Schocl;    1L  E.— HoapitaJ    for    Epilc|>tica;    H.  I—  llo.pital 

— Workhouac. 

Form  No.  7B.     (Reverse) 
34 


-Pcmtcnlury:     R- 


RECEPTION    OF    CHILDREN 


FAMILY  NAME 


FAMILY  HISTORY  RECORD 


FATS  SAflp, 


Caoa  Number 

2ffj- 


CROSS  REFERENCES 


DATE  OF  1st  INVESTIGATION 
(Applies  to  all  entries 
not  otherwise  dated) 


At 

hone 


Ag9 


Date 
of 

birth 


Birthplace 


Occupation 
or  school 


Weekly 
wage  or 
grade 


Physical  or  mental 
defects (Give  source 
of  ir.formatlcn  en 
atcrv  sheets 


rather     ,. 

JO.       1     'WiAUnv 

lotherdst  and  maiden  name) 

lo.     2  ;Wy  (lojj^) 

5tep-pareny 

lo.    3 

Jnmarried  children 

'o.  5  UdtU^j 

lo.  6 

to.  7 

to.  S 

ro.    9 

lo.  10 


J 


S-ntic 

7-f-mf 


<-,t-o7 


'Ttkk'fa 


U^-t^yi^^La-^i-<y<s> 


■otLUj-  i«v 


oxhers   in  household    IF 
lo .   11  J^l^^x^lJ^   LUcott^i 

ro.  12 
to.  13 


Age 

'7 


Relationship 


■  Contributes 


RELATIVES 

Including  married  children 

not  living  at  home)    • 


Willing 
or  able 
to  help 


fatetLuis 


'at  her 
Mother 


NATIONALITY  OR  RACE 


TIME  IN  CITY 


TIKE  IN  STATE 


TIME  IN  U.S. 
7'A^o-   . 


NATURALIZED 


READ  &  WRITE 


SOCIAL  STATE  OF  PARENTS:  .  .        .     -      . 

F  dead  (Date  /«-  2-  /^/*     Cause     CU*+-cLe~~h'         Informant    A~i>.   Ahx^n^o  ) 

M  dead  (Date  Cause  _-    Informant  fi  /v    •  <■        /  ^ 

Parents  married    ^  (When  f-/2-  //<?<r~   Where  J<rur-&,  £w.  By  whom^^W/j^o.W.  ) 


Separated    *■       Divorced    >.     F  deserted    x. 
Other  points: 

M  deserted 

*.     Previous  marriage  FXMX.       Unmarried 
mother  X 

f  Nos. 
,2,3 

ADDRESSES 
(Present  and  subsequent) 

No.  of 

rooms 

Rent  per 
week 

LANDLORD  OR  AC-EHT          ADDRESS 

Date 

Z 

'33.0  f-i~jL  dP. 

2 

fo& 

a~.  rx  fcu« 

S-z-/f'-l 

For  additional  addros 
sec   other   side 

-es 

Form  No.  8a.     Family  History  Record  (Face)" 

Suggested  by  the  Russell  Sage  Foundation,  Department  of  Child-Helping 

(Size  8K  x  1 1  inches) 

°  Because  of  limitations  of  space,  the  exact  proportions  of  this  form  could  not  be  shown  in  the 

^production.     In  printing,  space  should  be  allowed  for  eight  or  more  entries  under  "Relatives,"  and 

dditional  space  should  also  be  allowed  under  "Addresses." 

35 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

ADDRESSES 


Of  Us». 
1,2.3 

ADDRESSES  (Continued) 

No.  of 

roene 

Rent  per 
week 

LANDLORD  OR  AGENT          ADDRESS 

Date 

Of  Ho. 

EMPLOYERS                             ADDRESS 
(Paet  and  present) 

INDUSTRY  (State  whether 
store,  laundry,  etc.) 

KIND  OF 
WORK  DONE 

Weekly 
wage 

Date 

2 

u 

^t^C^>i^y    /&£&tju 

ft 

jggBERgHJP  IN  UNION.  LODGE.  OR  BENEFIT  ORGANIZATIONS; 


aJ*£+s  &U*o    £u^x^Z. 


Of  Ho. 

INSTITUTION  OR  POLICE  RECORD 

Date 

CHURCHES,  CHARITIES  AND  IHDIVIDOALS  INTERESTED 
(Names  and  addressee) 

Date 

PREVIOUS  ADDRESSES  OF  FAMILY 

Date 

/f/6 

I8ji  tevusJ-Jt.,   Aj*£L»>UL- 

APPLICATION:         Date    S/1//9K 


Made  by  A*  ■■ 


jSh^U 


Applicant  wl*he»      '°  ft- 


U&-    U^lJL 


l~s*bJ-uM^r~,      ~£jl*-     *J-    e^au^t/ 


Reaaone  given  Mo^o' 


CL+*A{  tsO     <t4*~"-t*    '^e>     t 


Inveetlgation  made  by     <£ X^Q^y^l 


Form  No.  8b.     (Reverse)0 
a  Because  of  limitations  of  space,  the  exact  proportions  could  not  be  shown  in  the  reproduction. 
In  printing,  adequate  space  should  be  allowed  under  "  Addresses,"  "Membership  in  Union,  Lodge  oj 
Benefit  Organizations"  and  "  Previous  Addresses." 

36 


RECEPTION    OF   CHILDREN 


7AIJILY  NAME  3<U~> 


FAMILY  HISTORY  RKC0R1) 
STORY' SHEET 


Sheet  ITo.  2 
Case  No.  2885 


(Write  on  this  pa<*e  reputation  and  habits  of  members  of  family, 
home  and  neighborhood  conditions  and  other  facts  not  provided  for 
on  Family  History  Face  Card.) 

For  every  entry  on  this  sheet  give  Pate.  Source  of  Information 
and  by  whom  obtained. 


5=^2- lU 


5-V& 


5-3-1'+ 


Interview  with  Mrs.  Mary  Davie  at  office  of  institution: 

Mrs.  D.  called  and  said  she  would  like  to  have  her  little  toy  cared  for 
in  the  institution,  as  she  has  tuberculosis  and  her  physician  has  told  her 
that  she  must  go  to  a  sanitarium.    (E.  C.  Boyd) 

Interview  with  Dr.  A.  B.  Heff ,  12  Seventh  Street: 

Dr.  Neff  has  been  the  family  physician  for  three  years.  He  arranged 
for  Mrs.  D.  to  go  to  St.  Mark's  Hospital  when  her  second  child  was  born. 
He  has  not  attended  the  family  since,  until  Mrs.  D.  cane  to-  him  about  a 
month  ago.  He  examined  her  and  found  that  she  has  tuberculosis  and  should 
go  to  a  sanitarium.  He  believes  that  she  will  recover  and  be  able  to  do 
sODe  kind  of  work  again. 

Stated  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  had  been  very  devoted  to  each  other 
and  that  he  had  made  a  comfortable  living  for  his  family.    (M.  V.  Scott) 

Interview  with  Mrs.  Mary  Davis  at  1320  Pine  Street: 

Mr6.  D.  is  a  bright  little  woman,  intelligent  and  refined.  She  looks 
tired  and  worn.  She  had  on  a  neat  cotton  dr:ss,  and  was  sewing  on  babies' 
rompers,  which  she  makes  by  the  dozen  for  Gray  Bros. 

She  stated  that  her  mother  died  when  she  was  Ik   years  old,  and  she 
then  looked  after  the  home  for  her  father  and  brother  and  her  young  sister. 
She  married  Mr.  D.  when  she  was  l6,  and  continued  to  live  at  home.  Shortly 
afterwards  her  father  died,  and  she  and  her  husband  and  Hannah,  her  little 
sister,  moved  to  Wellsville,  N.  Y.,  where  Mr.  D.  had  been  offered  a  posi- 
tion at  a  substantial  increase  in  wages.  He  was  a  mechanic  and  earned 
from  $S0  -  $100  a  month. 

They  were  planning  to  buy  a  home  when  Mr.  D.  was  fatally  injured  while 
trying  to  board  a  moving  train.  No  attempt  was  made  to  collect  damages 
from  the  railroad.  Mr.  Davis  lived  for  several  hours  after  the  accident, 
and  assumed  the  entire  responsibility  for  his  injury. 

Four  months  after  her  husband's  death  her  second  baby  was  born.  It 
took  the  greater  part  of  Mr.  Davis'  insurance  to  pay  the  funeral  expenses 
and  support  the  family  during  the  period  of  her  incapacity.  After  she 
recovered,  she  obtained  work  from  Cray  Brothers  which  she  could  do  at  home, 
and  she  kept  house  for  her  little  boy  and  her  younger  sister,  who  works  in 
Bowman's  grocery  on  Warren  St.,  and  pays  Mrs.  D.  $3  a  week  for  her  board. 

She  has  about  $50  of  her  savings  left  which  she  will  need  to  pay  her 
traveling  expenses  to  the  sanitarium  and  to  buy  incidentals  for  herself 
while  there. 

Thinks  her  brother  in  Canada  may  be  able  to  help  support  Edward  while 
she  is  away.    (M.  V.  Scott) 


5-3-11* 

5-U-lU 


5-7-lU 
5-7-it 

5-8- lU 


Lett. 


#1  to  Mr.  John  Weston,  IS  St.  James  St..  Toronto,  Canada. 


Interview  with  Mr.  J.  C.  Cook,  Manager  of  Cray  Bros.,  Mrs.  Davis*  employer: 
Mr.  C.  stated  that  i-'rs.  D.  has  been  omployed  by  them  for  fifteen 
months.  He  considers  her  one  of  their  best  workers,  and  says  that  she 
has  worked  regularly  and  i6  thoroughly  reliable.    (M.  V.  Scott) 

Letter  $2   from  Mr.  John  Weston.  Will  pay  $2  wk.  for  support  of  Edward. 

Arranged  with  Mrs.  W.  D.  Cook,  98  Cary  St.,  to  take  Edward  and  his  aunt, 
Hannah  Weston,  to  board  until  end  of  BChool  tens. 

Mother  left  for  Eon  Air  Sanitariun.,  Whitehall.  Admission  to  the  Sanitarium 
was  seci.rod  for  her  by  her  physirian_,  Dr.  l?eff . 

Form  No.  8c.     (Story  Sheet) 
37 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

Form  4  is  used  by  both  the  Children's  Bureau  of  Philadelphia 
and  the  Boston  Children's  Aid  Society;  Form  5  is  the  latest 
revised  blank  of  the  New  York  State  Charities  Aid  Association, 
with  its  system  of  county  agencies;  Form  6  is  used  by  the  Board 
of  Children's  Guardians  of  St.  Louis,  where  the  mothers'  pen- 
sion law  is  in  effect,  necessitating  careful  budget  reports;  Form 
7  is  one  recently  adopted  by  the  new  Children's  Welfare  Depart- 
ment of  the  Ohio  Board  of  State  Charities,  operating  under  the 
Children's  Code,  which  provides  for  the  clinical  study,  mental 
and  physical,  of  children  who  become  public  wards.  Form  8 
is  a  composite,  made  up  by  the  writer,  and  includes  points  selected 
from  numerous  blanks  now  in  use  by  leading  child-caring 
organizations. 

In  recording  the  family  histories  of  infants,  those  facts 
which  have  a  special  bearing  upon  the  question  of  infant  mor- 
tality should  be  emphasized.  The  Family  History  section  of 
Form  1 5  (page  59)  shows  the  points  which  are  considered  essential 
in  this  connection. 

Blank  sheets  should  be  used  with  family  history  record 
forms  for  recording  important  facts  and  details  gathered  at  the 
time  of  investigation  and  subsequently,  which  are  not  provided 
for  on  the  schedule.  The  "story  sheets"  accompanying  Forms 
6  and  8  show  how  this  additional  material  may  be  handled. 

If  one  prefers,  instead  of  using  any  of  the  family  history 
records  suggested,  the  points  covered  by  any  of  these  schedules 
may  be  put  into  the  form  of  questions,  after  the  plan  of  Form  3 
(page  20).  This  method  formerly  prevailed  and  is  still  used  by 
some  institutions  and  societies  in  recording  family  histories,  but 
most  trained  workers  have  given  it  up  because  they  find  the 
other  forms  more  convenient  and  useful.  It  is  comparatively 
easy,  with  a  little  practice,  to  become  accustomed  to  the  newer 
blanks,  which  group  the  facts  in  a  more  compact  and  better 
classified  form;  and  it  is  doubtful  if  a  worker  who  once  becomes 
familiar  with  them  will  ever  consent  to  go  back  to  the  question- 
naire. 

No  child-caring  organization  should  be  satisfied  until  it 
has  achieved  at  least  as  high  standards  as  are  indicated  in  these 

38 


RECEPTION    OF    CHILDREN 

specimen  blanks,  although  at  the  present  time  some  institutions 
and  societies  may  not  be  able,  because  of  inadequate  clerical 
help  and  the  lack  of  paid  visitors,  to  secure  all  of  the  informa- 
tion called  for.  Where  this  is  the  case  it  is  suggested  that  a 
complete  schedule  be  provided  and  that  those  points  upon 
which  the  agency  is  not  prepared  to  secure  information  be  left 
unused.  It  is  believed  that  this  is  a  better  plan  than  to  adopt 
an  abbreviated  schedule  form. 

An  institution  superintendent  who  was  recently  con- 
sidering the  question  of  installing  a  new  system  of  records, 
objected  to  a  detailed  family  history  record  card  on  the  ground 
that,  with  his  present  limited  facilities  for  investigation,  he 
would  not  be  able  to  cover  all  the  points.  He  was  asked  to  study 
the  card  and  to  suggest  which  points  he  thought  might  be 
omitted  in  order  to  adapt  it  to  his  purposes.  After  careful  con- 
sideration he  reported,  to  his  own  surprise,  that  he  believed  all 
of  the  information  was  essential  for  an  adequate  investigation 
and  that  while  it  would  not  be  possible  in  the  beginning  for  him 
to  secure  all  the  facts  which  the  record  card  called  for,  his  man- 
agers had  decided  to  adopt  the  form  as  it  stood,  not  as  a  standard 
for  immediate  attainment,  but  as  an  ideal  toward  which  to  work. 
He  stated  that  he  believed  they  would  achieve  better  results 
with  the  stimulus  of  an  ideal  before  them  than  they  would  if 
they  were  to  accept  less  than  the  best  and,  forgetting  the  stand- 
ard, become  satisfied  with  an  inadequate  record. 

Institutions  and  societies  should  not  be  satisfied  to  tem- 
porize in  the  matter  of  records  any  longer  than  is  absolutely 
necessary,  and  they  should  consider  carefully  whether  the  best 
is  not  possible  before  adopting  something  less. 

Sometimes  even  thorough  investigation  will  not  reveal 
the  full  history  of  a  child.  If,  for  example,  a  baby  is  found  on 
an  ash  heap  or  in  a  railroad  station,  or  has  been  boarded  by  its 
mother  with  strangers  and  later  abandoned  by  her,  an  agency 
may  be  obliged  to  proceed  with  very  little  authentic  infor- 
mation. In  such  cases,  however,  a  full  record  should  be  made 
of  all  the  facts  known  and  of  the  circumstances  under  which 
the  children  are  received,  taking  care  not  to  give  undue  weight 

39 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

to  hearsay  evidence.  Efforts  to  secure  information  should 
not  be  relaxed  if  facts  can  not  be  obtained  in  the  beginning. 
Any  clues  which  may  be  discovered  after  a  child  has  been 
admitted  should  be  carefully  followed  up. 

In  many  places  it  has  been  customary  for  juvenile  court 
judges,  directors  of  the  poor,  and  other  public  officials  to  com- 
mit children  to  child-caring  agencies  without  furnishing  any 
information  in  regard  to  them  other  than  the  bare  facts  stated 
in  the  commitment  papers.  While  it  may  not  always  be  possi- 
ble for  these  officials  to  supply  detailed  information,  an  effort 
should  be  made  by  every  agency  which  accepts  children  by 
commitment  to  secure  at  the  time  of  admission  all  facts  about 
them  which  can  be  learned  from  the  committing  officer.  For 
this  purpose,  a  supply  of  blanks  calling  for  facts  which  such  an 
official  might  be  expected  to  know  or  be  able  to  find  out,  should 
be  supplied  to  court  officers  and  directors  of  the  poor,  with  the 
request  that  they  send  with  each  child  replies  to  the  questions 
asked.  Some  organizations  have  found  that  in  this  way  they 
can  often  secure  valuable  information  about  the  children  com- 
mitted. It  is  suggested  that  the  application  blank,  Form  3 
(page  20),  or  a  modification  of  it,  might  be  used  for  this  purpose. 


40 


CHAPTER  III 

INFORMATION  FOR  DETERMINING  THE  PERSONAL 
NEEDS  OF  A  CHILD 

WHEN  a  careful  study  of  family  conditions  shows  that  it 
is  necessary  to  remove  a  child  from  his  home,  his  per- 
sonal history  and  characteristics  still  remain  to  be 
considered  before  deciding  what  should  be  done  for  him.  There 
should  be  a  physical  and  mental  examination,  an  interview  with 
his  teacher,  and,  if  he  is  working,  with  his  employer,  and  a 
record  of  all  the  facts  discovered  should  be  kept. 

One  of  the  most  important  uses  of  these  records  is  to 
enable  agencies  to  weed  out  at  the  beginning  children  for  whom 
they  are  not  qualified  to  care.  Each  organization  is  necessarily 
limited  in  its  scope,  and  however  admirable  its  work  may  be 
within  these  limits,  it  can  not  expect  to  succeed  with  children 
who  require  a  kind  of  care  which  it  is  not  equipped  to  give. 

As  a  rule,  adequate  records  of  this  kind  are  not  kept,  and 
in  few  institutions,  except  those  for  the  sick  and  for  defectives, 
are  any  but  the  most  obvious  defects  and  characteristics  dis- 
covered prior  to  admission.  The  result  is,  as  a  survey  of  almost 
any  institution  will  show,  that  in  children's  homes  and  reforma- 
tories superior  children  often  do  not  receive  the  training  which 
their  abilities  warrant,  and  mental  defectives  or  children  suffering 
from  tuberculosis  or  other  infectious  diseases  are  to  be  found 
mingling  freely  with  normal,  well  children,  to  the  detriment 
of  all. 

An  item  in  a  recent  report  of  the  Indiana  Board  of  State 
Charities,*  about  the  children's  homes  of  that  state,  may  be 
taken  as  typical  of  conditions  in  a  very  large  percentage  of 
children's  institutions  throughout  the  country.  The  report  says 
that  because  of  their  large  capacity  and  farm  facilities  certain 
institutions 

*  Indiana  Board  of  State  Charities.     Annual  Report,  191 1,  p.  159. 

41 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR   CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

are  receiving  a  large  per  cent  of  delinquent  children  from  various  juvenile 
courts  in  the  state.  They  receive  also  normal  dependent  children.  .  .  . 
There  is  no  attempt  at  classification  further  than  age  and  sex.  This  is 
unfortunate,  since  special  care  and  training  is  very  necessary  in  such 
institutions.  To  a  greater  or  less  degree  the  same  thing  is  true  of  all 
the  children's  homes  in  the  state. 

At  the  time  of  the  inspection  of  these  thirty-seven  institutions, 
twenty-three  crippled  children  and  ninety-three  feeble-minded  children 
were  present.  The  crippled  children  should  be  given  hospital  treatment 
and  the  feeble-minded  children  should  be  removed.  The  latter  receive 
no  special  care  and  training  and  it  is  a  detriment  to  the  normal  child  to 
associate  with  them. 

It  often  happens  that  institutions  for  dependent  or  delin- 
quent children  are  obliged  to  receive  certain  children  who  should 
be  sent  elsewhere  because  there  is  no  organized  alternative,  but 
even  in  such  cases  physical  and  mental  records  would  tend  to 
minimize  this  handicap.  Children  who  are  not  normal  and  who 
require  special  treatment  should  be  separated  within  the  insti- 
tution, or  should  be  boarded  out  under  special  arrangements 
suited  to  their  needs. 

The  practical  value  of  psychological  records  in  meeting 
conditions  of  this  kind  is  illustrated  by  the  practice  in  two 
reformatories: 

In  one,  which  has  no  psychological  records,  the  military 
system  dominates  the  classification.  Instead  of  having  care 
suited  to  their  individual  needs,  all  boys  of  the  same  size  live 
in  the  same  cottage  and  are  taught  in  the  same  class  room,  at 
the  same  time,  although  some  are  mentally  defective  while  others 
are  of  normal  mentality.  The  discouragement,  both  to  instruc- 
tors and  pupils,  which  results  from  such  a  method  is  obvious. 
Here  too,  a  cottage  plant,  which  could  be  admirably  turned  to 
account  to  separate  the  feeble-minded  boys  from  those  who  are 
normal,  is  missing  its  highest  usefulness. 

In  the  other  institution,  where  psychological  records  are 
used,  the  superintendent  writes:  "We  are  continuing  our 
psychological  tests  on  all  inmates  received  in  this  institution. 
The  same  become  the  basis  of  all  our  treatment.  It  is  the 
mentality  of  the  individual  that  determines  the  kind  of  work  to 

42 


PERSONAL    NEEDS    OF    CHILD 

which  he  is  assigned.  If  he  is  feeble-minded,  we  feel  it  is  utterly 
useless  for  us  to  attempt  to  teach  him  a  trade,  and  so  he  is  as- 
signed to  some  manual  labor,  the  character  of  which  is  then 
determined  by  his  physical  condition,  and  his  natural  inclination. 
...  In  school  work,  the  class  is  divided  into  two  sections,  'A'  and 
'  B,'  B  being  for  the  feeble-minded  and  the  near  feeble-minded. 
In  discipline  their  mentality  is  also  considered  and  less  is  re- 
quired of  them." 

School  records,  also,  may  be  of  great  importance  in  deciding 
questions  of  admission.  One  institution  in  Baltimore,  for 
example,  which  maintains  high  educational  standards,  will  not 
accept  children  who  do  not  measure  up  to  a  given  standard  in 
their  school  work.  The  superintendent  states  that  the  aim  of 
the  institution  is  educational,  and  that  it  would  be  an  extrava- 
gance to  waste  the  time  of  their  instructors  by  taking  children 
who  are  not  able  to  profit  by  the  training  given. 

INDIVIDUAL  CHILD'S  RECORD 

Form  9  shows  the  main  points  which  should  be  known 
about  the  children  themselves  at  time  of  reception.*  This  record 
should  be  supplemented  by  detailed  reports  from  the  physician 
and  psychologist  on  the  child's  mental  and  physical  condition 
at  the  time  of  admission,  and  by  subsequent  physical,  school, 
and  efficiency  records. 

Physical  Records 

The  physical  examination  should  be  more  than  a  super- 
ficial "looking  over"  of  the  child  to  determine  whether  there  is 
any  evidence  of  contagious  disease.  It  should  include  an  elabo- 
rate and  thorough  medical  examination;  a  general  physical 
examination  covering  height,  weight,  girth,  and  so  on;  and  a 
complete  dental  examination. 

There  are  a  number  of  good  forms  for  recording  physical 
examinations.     Those  of  the  New  York  State  Charities  Aid 

*  For  the  personal  history  of  an  infant  on  admission,  see  Form  15  (page  58). 
For  special  points  in  regard  to  adoption  and  death,  see  Form  44  (page  123). 

43 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

Association,  Form  10,  and  the  Joint  Shelter  for  Children  of 
Philadelphia,  Form  n,  have  been  used  by  these  agencies  for 
several  years,  and  have  undergone  careful  revisions.  It  is 
believed  that  one  or  the  other  of  these  forms  would  be  found 
satisfactory  for  all  ordinary  purposes. 

The  opinion  has  been  expressed  by  some  that  physical 
examinations  may  tend  to  become  stereotyped  if  the  points  to 
be  observed  are  indicated  in  great  detail,  as  in  the  form  used  by 
the  New  York  State  Charities  Aid  Association.  It  is  said  that 
physicians  may  in  time  fall  into  the  habit  of  checking  up  these 
points  mechanically  and  the  examination  lose  in  value  on  this 
account.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  believed  by  persons  who  are 
equally  qualified  to  express  an  opinion  that  more  thorough 
examinations  may  result  from  the  use  of  a  detailed  form  which 
minimizes  the  possibility  of  overlooking  important  matters. 
Certainly  a  thorough  schedule  is  a  great  safeguard  in  all  medical 
examinations  whether  made  by  physicians  who  are  directly 
responsible  to  the  organization  or  not.  In  the  hands  of  a  skilful 
physician  either  of  these  forms  should  yield  satisfactory  results. 

No  physical  examination  is  complete  which  does  not 
include  an  inspection  of  a  child's  teeth.  The  dental  examination 
and  clinical  charts  used  by  the  Division  of  School  Inspection 
of  the  Philadelphia  Bureau  of  Health  are  clear  and  simple.  Form 
12  is  used  for  the  initial  examination  to  show  what  is  needed. 
Form  1 3  is  for  the  record  of  work  actually  done. 

Mental  Records 

No  blanks  for  recording  the  results  of  mental  examinations 
have  been  included.  In  the  first  place,  they  are  highly  technical 
and  would  not  be  of  use  to  persons  who  have  not  had  psycho- 
logical training.  Besides,  psychologists  themselves  are  not 
in  complete  agreement  as  to  what  should  be  included. 

It  is  suggested  that  organizations  which  are  interested  in 

having  psychological  tests  of  their  children  made,  get  in  touch 

with  the  nearest  or  most  available  competent  authority  and 

formulate  plans  for  introducing  this  work  under  expert  direction. 

(Text  continues  on  page  55.) 

44 


RECORD  OF  CHILD 


IMILD'S  FULL  NAME 


Pay  la,  Edward 


CASE  NUMBER 


ION0ITIONS  OF   ADMISSION: 


Date     May   g,    lQlU Received  from:    Name     Mrs  ■    Mary   Davis Address    1?20  Pins   St. 


leoal  Custody  Obtained 


TERMS: 

Free Pf       Yes       Rate  of  Payment       $2  wank 


paid  Uncla,  Mr.  Jehn  Taston,  lg  St.  James  St.,  Toronto,  Canada. 


Special  Agreements  as  to  Schoolino,  Dismissal,  Etc. IQ   bfl    rfltttrnol  tQ  BOthflf   If    ihfl    raCQVfim   and    !■  aHlfl   tO 

gjpport.   family. 


bapt.zeo:  date    q  -  J  -  lqog          c.ty       Wellsvills ,  H.  T 

Church 

St. 

John1"  Church 

SCHOOL  RECORD: 

School  Last  Attended            litVi   Wani 

AOE  LEFl 

Grade           3    . 

Teacmer-8  Report  as  to: 

Scholarship           Bright   -   ranks  high  in  classes. 

1P1V. 

WORK  RECORD: 

Has  Child  Ever  Worked             No                        If  So,  Name  Employer  and  Describe  Work  Done 

PHYSICAL  AND  MENTAL  CONDITION:    (Summary  from  Physical  and  Mental  Examination  Blanks  Appendeo) 

Ib  Chilo  in  a  Pos<t,ve  Condition  of  Health         HO                   If  Not,  Describe       No    Organic    disa&Se 

but  ia  under 

is  Child  Normal  Mentally           Tel                If  Not.  Describe 

OTHER  POINTS: 

With  Whom  Did  Chud  Live  Up  To  The  Time  Of  Application:    (Name  and  Address)         Mother 

City. 

Form  No.  9A.    Personal  Record  of  Child  (Face)" 

Suggested  by  the  Russell  Sage  Foundation,  Department  of  Child-Helping 

(Size  8K  x  1 1  inches) 

0  It  is  suggested  that  the  points  in  Form  No.  44  be  incorporated  in  this  blank. 

45 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR   CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


HISTORY  OF  CHILD  WHILE   IN  CARE  OF  THIS  ORGANIZATION: 

DATE 


5-8-lU  Plaaed  with  lire.  I.  D.  Cook,  98  Cary  St.,  to  board  until  end  of  echool  term  In 

June.     Aunt,  Hannah  Weston,  who  lived  with  Edward  and  his  mother  Is  to  board 
at  same  place, 

6-30- lU  Promoted  to  3rd  Grade. 

7-2-lU  Edward  sent  to  Mrs.  G.  L.  Long,  Cherry  Valley,  K.  T. ,  to  hoard  for  the  summer. 

Dr.  thinks  his  health  will  Improve  with  country  air  and  special  diet. 

etc..  etc 


Form  No.  9B.     (Reverse) 
46 


PERSONAL   NEEDS    OF    CHILD 


&tate  (Eljarttfea  Aft  AHaoriation 

CHILDREN'S    DEPARTMENT 
S8»   FOURTH     AVENUE,     NEW    YORK    CITY 


V0.~tJk.tL-. 


Physical  examination  of J?feak»^.(feJ^..*K5ofel*^r. 

iN.mel  (/ 

Sex. £■. Age // ...Color 7faLz£-. 

EnmincdTjl7.1(.fJ#:.by C«;...(&„.dLkdu Address ZL..4 

Id.tel  (J 

FAMILY    HISTORY- 


0^ 


GOOD  HEALTH 


■h 


ILL  HEALTH 


^Llf^LtrLe^ 


DEAD— c«uk 


MoA"  ^tt^^JL^ 


%0 


Cn2fJA 


<l.  -    (2aX4JjlZzl* 


feeta 


ffrv-d— 


N.  B. — Kindly  fill  in  spaces  and  underline  any  condition  found  in  child. 

PERSONAL    HISTORY. 

ewanov —       breastfed;    bottle  fed;    weight  at  birth.  .../ilU^....UX-<ryv 
eruption  of  teeth — normal;  delayed. 

childhood —  whooping  cough,  diphtheria,  measles,  scarlet  fever:  rheumatism,  diseased  joints,  Inflamed  elands  of  neck; 
skin  diseases,  sore  eyes,  discharge  from  nose,  mouth  breathing,  infantile  paralysis,  bow  legi. 

MENSTRUAL /k> 

vaccctated-T^  Yes,  date:    ^*~W      /¥■/   11  l*f- 
PHYSICAL.   CONDITION. 

head — -  FontaneU — closed;  open.    Scalp — normal;    dry;    oily;    inflamed;    pediculL 

bttes —  Pupil  Diameter— unequal;    identical.     -jLo&IuOlJ-*^     0<nJLu»*^&ArC&A 

Response  to  Light — present;    absent     Response  to  Accommodation — present;    absent. 

ears —  Discharge— present;    absent. 

Hearing-right <?^C ;    left .A*"....... 


Discharge— present;    absent. 

Nasal  Bridge — normal;    depressed. 

Septum— Complete;    deflected.    Is  there  any  stoppage  in  nose  ? /2?.£2S£rr. 

Form  No.  ioa.     Physical  Examination  Record  (Face) 
(Size  8*4  x  1 1  inches) 

47 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


AND 

Mojia- 


Lina— normal;    red;    pale;    bluish.        Teeth— number,    upper 

cavities,  upper \K<ttM^....  lower / "  — *-' 


£% 

»!« teeth. 


lower J..0... 


Palate— normal;    cleft.    UthU- normal;    elongated;    thickened. 
Right  Tonsil— normal;    enlarged.        Left  Tonail  -  normal :    enlarged. 
Pharynx— adenoids;    present,    absent. 
Tongue — normal;    abnormal.      Ca-om-  d. 

Cervical  Gland. — normal;    enlarged.  ■      Thyroid— normal;    enlarged. 

Chest  Formation— normal ;    pigeon  breast;    funnel  breast;    prominent  ribs;    flat  chest 

Lung*— normal;    abnormal.      fctJU*'   <t^*-  *T6t«-   **VtVj"  #»»#^*>   /W    A*-'*-' 

Circumference— inspiration expiration %r.X.....    expansion &Z.W../.3-  -   *"  V* 

Heart — normal;    abnormal;    rate /.Jn-.Q. 

normal:    curvature,  lateral,  fonmd,       ^f^~  ^-7^-*^^-  (  ??'  *)     /0      *"  *  " 


abdomen —      live. $*. gallbladder. 

spleen ££. 

Intestines...**. 


*£ 

urinary  bladder £#.....  , 


GEXITO 

CRDfABY 
SYSTEM — 


Urination — normal;    frequent;    «>n<»ureti«. 
Female  Genitalia — normal,    discbarge — present;    absent 
Htiaafi— atafc     iiwuili    eleagated  tore  ehin. 
8KXN —  normal;    abnormal,  how.      SX^a^/~~  ^*jL~£as^-   /V»v»>*_ 

BXTttBMlTlBS -normal;     asymmetrical;      deformities.         Gait— well  balanced;     shambling;     pigeon  toed;      feet  everted 
Head  Balance — normal;     tense;    relaxed. 

AXATOMlCAl- AsymmetricaUcranium;  asymmetricaniace;  very  high  narrow  foretead;  very  low  forehead;  projecting  jaws; 
stigmata —     high  narrow  palate;    longitudinal  palatine  ridge;    narrow  palpebral  Assure;    squint:    nystagmus;    unusually 

placed  ears;     asynrtaetrlcal  ears;     badly  Jw  teeth;      unusual  shortness*  height;     excessively  long  or  short 

fingers,  arms  or  legs;    Cver-actlon  of  frontalis,  muscle. 


Weight 6.0....M*.: 


HKMAfiSSi 


Height ^.^....^.^^qLm....  Nutrition KUhtHnS. 


*huAMvtusl» 


~ttn*u- 


a 


cu^JL    iA. 


T 

Form  No.   iob.     (Second  Page) 


JOINT  SHELTER  FOR  CHILDREN 


REPORT  OF  MEDICAL  EXAMINER 


Name  ^^w^w^.    Jh^^ 

Age_j£- ../  -  ../..glajl _ 

Sex i^^aaii^kEe^. 


Nationality 
or  Race 


Address  J^£^^„-steU^^fefeS^^^5^ 

Mother..ArfeSfet^*x-»rt_ 


Good  Health 


Invalidism 

Particularly  insanity 


Dead  (Cause) 

ularly,  insanity,  tuberculosis. 


^~~* -*" 


.Neglect K! Drunkenness \f.. Cruelty 


FAMILY  HISTORY  (Social) 

Poverty Kl Illiteracy ^.....Over  Crowding.. 

PERSONAL  HISTORY  (Social) 

Environment Surr?r*>L: Habits. 

HABITS.     Breathing:  Through  mouth J^Cs&n.. 

Snure -.Enuresis.. 

PREVIOUS  MEDICAL  HISTORY. 

Mumps Erysipelas.., .......  Rheumatism _ — Small  Pox Pneumonia.. 

Whooping  Cough *r**fe£*jV. _.Typhoid...._ .....Malaria 

PHYSICAL  EXAMINATION 


.Character  ot  companions 

Nose _2rzrr*r. 

..Masturbation _.<^<?-*rr^ 


General  Development   .  C?^*^ 

Nutrition (s^st^jl/. 

Height  .    SJLc^  .^.^-*^«£js^  .   .   . 
Weight  S./r^^^.^ry*****^.  .  . 

Skin  .-^cltX^ 

Eyes  .   ^->-v<^r*v^v-<?- 

Ears        "Otorrhcp.  Lotcnt         Active  /.  .  i 

Teeth   &%/S, 

Tonsils 

Adenoids 


Glands  ^*t/«vir^<V 
( Shape    ^u-^r^i     . 
CheSt  jCirth  at  Nipple  Line  3,M- 
Heart  •?trvi***£c4» .  *«^e-  Z^r^-. 
Lung,.,  *-n*j?-*i&<cr£..    r   .    .    .    . 
Spine  .  >-z*ev->^-t-*-£  .  .    • 
Extremities^?,  /f-.  Deformities  .  t^v 

Genitalia  .(£*/{' 

Hernia  .->rt*>-*-Me_ 


Remarks  and  Recommendations: 

//-/?/c  (PJ^U^XZcO^^^^^J 
/ 3-/9/0  aU«U^-  rf> 


Treatment  Given: 


^Qi^x^t^-nt.  f-^"  '£-*sul  -  -£yi 


c*-ir?0<^-y~'-G.    _J&4j-t*-T^fs    ^w-L*  <5>L*e-£v 


Form  No.  iia.     Physical  Examination  Record  (Face) 

Joint  Shelter  for  Children,  Philadelphia" 

(Size  7$i  x  ioX  inches) 

a  Receiving  home  of  Children's  Bureau,  Children's  Aid  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Society 

for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Children. 

49 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


CONTINUATION  OF  MEDICAL  RECORD 

Subsequent  lxaminations  Treatment  Giver 


't  ~Z.W--/f/d 


;2-/Z-/<7/6 


7-1-  Jf/v-?i~t*j<&t  v-t  sUv. 

;/-/<>  -  /?/#. 
JZ.-7-S9/* 


/2.-3-J?/3  ^'i-s^i^t^   ^c^L^rC. 


~fcLe*c£~*..U 


(PZ&fii--  -?***~~^<.     (rt, 


trs^s^vC^f 


JsZO  <  ■>i^4 


-&U.  '*&*-^e,  ^^C^\^v~e^^^y  s^cytK&Z 


Form  No.  i  i  b.     (Reverse) 
50 


PERSONAL   NEEDS    OF    CHILD 


| _X\0< 


i»   3  a   c 


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J  S  .1  8  8  8 

RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


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52 


PERSONAL    NEEDS    OF    CHILD 


53 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR   CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


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54 


PERSONAL    NEEDS    OF    CHILD 

Assurance  should  be  had  of  the  competence  of  the  psychologist. 
Many  persons  are  attempting  to  make  psychological  examina- 
tions without  having  had  adequate  instruction  and  training. 

The  physicians  in  charge  of  public  institutions  for  the 
feeble-minded*  will  usually  be  glad  to  furnish  information  and 
suggestions  on  this  subject  to  institutions  within  their  states, 
and  in  a  number  of  cities  there  are  special  psychological  clinics 
whose  directors  may  be  consulted  in  regard  to  promoting  new 
work.  The  following  is  a  partial  list  of  organizations  which  con- 
duct clinics:  f 

California,  Los  Angeles Department   of  Educational    and    Clinical 

Psychology    (connected  with  the  public 
school  system). 

Indiana,  Jeffersonville Indiana  Reformatory. 

Illinois,  Chicago Juvenile  Psychopathic  Institute. 

University  of  Chicago. 

Iowa,  Iowa  City University  of  Iowa. 

Louisiana,  New  Orleans Public  Schools  Laboratory. 

Maryland,  Baltimore Johns  Hopkins  Hospital  (Phipps  Clinic). 

Massachusetts,  Boston Psychopathic  Hospital. 

Worcester. .  .Clark  University. 

Minnesota,  Minneapolis University  of  Minnesota. 

New  Jersey,  Vineland New  Jersey  Training  School. 

New  York,  Albany Medico-Psychological   Laboratory   (City 

Hall). 
Bedford  Hills...  .New  York  State  Reformatory  for  Women. 
New  York  City.  .New  York  Post-Graduate  Medical  School 
and  Hospital  ("Clearing  House  for  De- 
fectives"). 

Ohio,  Cincinnati Vocational  Guidance  Clinic. 

Columbus Ohio  Board  of  Administration,   Bureau  of 

Juvenile  Research. 
Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia.  .University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Pittsburgh. . .  .University  of  Pittsburgh. 
Washington,  Seattle University  of  Washington. 

*  A  list  of  these  institutions  is  given  in  the  volume  on  Insane  and  Feeble- 
Minded  in  Institutions,  United  States  Census,  1910.     Bulletin  119,  page  80. 

t  For  a  fuller  list,  see  Smith,  Theodate  L.:  Development  of  Psychological 
Clinics  in  the  United  States.     Pedagogical  Seminary,  March,  1914,  p.  143. 

55 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR   CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

CONTINUATION  RECORDS 
After  children  have  been  found  to  be  in  need  of  what  an 
agency  has  to  give  and  have  been  accepted,  the  initial  records  of 
their  personal  and  family  histories,  together  with  continuation 
records  of  their  health,  school  progress,  and  personal  tendencies, 
should  be  important  factors  in  their  care.  In  large  institutions 
it  is  quite  impossible,  with  so  many  duties  and  demands,  for  the 
superintendent  to  know  the  varying  and  special  needs  of  all 
the  children  in  his  charge,  unless  such  records  are  not  only  kept 
but  studied.  Only  regular  and  systematic  tests,  and  a  compari- 
son of  the  results  with  previous  records,  can  give  any  adequate 
foundation  for  judgment  concerning  the  welfare  and  develop- 
ment of  children. 

Continuation  Physical  Records 
Health  records  should  include  results  of  periodical  tests 
of  height  and  weight.  In  institutions  for  infants  the  mortality 
rate  is  a  good  index  of  health  conditions,  but  the  mortality  rate 
tells  very  little  about  the  health  conditions  of  children  who 
have  passed  the  age  of  two  years.  Between  the  ages  of  two 
and  eighteen  the  mortality  rate  is  always  low.  For  these  ages 
physical  development  and  endurance  are  the  health  indicators. 
In  his  book  entitled  How  Two  Hundred  Children  Live  and 
Learn,  Dr.  Rudolph  R.  Reeder  tells  how  records  of  height  and 
weight  have  been  of  practical  use  in  his  institution. 

There  is  perhaps  no  better  practical  test  of  an  institution  dietary 
than  a  carefully  kept  record  of  the  growth  of  the  children.  It  is  a 
simple  matter  to  balance  the  scale  beam  and  at  the  same  time  read 
the  height  of  each  child  on  a  graduated  bar  as  he  stands  on  the  scales. 
It  doesn't  cost  much  to  get  the  scales,  and  with  the  standard  tables  of 
weights  and  heights  at  various  ages  before  you,  it  may  readily  be  deter- 
mined whether  the  children  of  an  institution  are  above  or  below  average, 
and  to  what  extent;  also  whether  they  are  making  satisfactory  growth 
from  year  to  year.* 

Records  of  height  and  weight  are  made  every  year,  and 
(Text  continues  on  page  61.) 

*  Reeder,  Rudolph  R.:   How  Two  Hundred  Children  Live  and  Learn,    pp. 
29-30.     New  York,  Charities  Publication  Committee,   191 1. 

56 


PERSONAL   NEEDS    OF    CHILD 


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Date  of     1fnl 
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No.     3X1 

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RECORD 

OF  HEIGHT  AND  WEIGHT 

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Date         Date         Date 

Date 

Date 

Date 

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Wt.            Wt.            Wt. 

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RECORD  OF  KTAMTHATIQNS   AND   TREATMENT  WHILE   IN  CARE  OF  ORGANIZATION 


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Form  No.  14.     Continuation  Physical  and  Medical  Record 

Suggested  by  the  Russell  Sage  Foundation,  Department  of  Child-Helping 

(Size  8>4  x  1 1  inches) 

57 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


J  V 


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58 


PERSONAL   NEEDS    OF    CHILD 


59 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


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60 


PERSONAL   NEEDS   OF   CHILD 

Dr.  Reeder  states  that  immediately  after  the  first  records  were 
taken,  "various  changes  in  dietary  were  introduced  with  a  view 
to  bringing  up  to  average  as  many  as  possible  of  those  who  were 
below."* 

In  a  recent  report  he  says: 

The  usual  records  of  weights  and  heights  were  made  November 
I  st,  showing  an  average  above  that  of  normal  children  outside  of  insti- 
tutions. It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  number  of  children  who  were 
above  the  standard  average  in  weight  but  below  in  height  was  double 
the  number  above  in  height  and  below  in  weight.  The  best  test  of  an 
institution's  care  of  its  wards  is  hidden  in  these  two  sets  of  figures.  If 
the  above  figures  were  reversed  it  would  mean  undernourished  or  over- 
worked children,  or  perhaps  illness  and  unsanitary  conditions.  You  may 
not  be  able  to  add  to  a  child's  natural  stature  or  force  an  upward  growth 
by  wholesome  food  and  well  ordered  sleep  and  exercise,  but  you  can  add 
avoirdupois  and  give  a  stocky  frame  to  those  who  have  been  ill-nour- 
ished and  show  a  pasty  bodily  structure  when  received  into  the  orphan- 
age, t 

Form  14  (page  57)  provides  for  successive  records  of  height 
and  weight,  and  for  records  of  illness  and  treatment. 

When  the  children  are  weighed  and  measured,  the  results 
in  the  case  of  each  child  should  be  compared  with  his  previous 
record  and  with  the  standard  for  the  same  age,  as  shown  in  the 
tables  of  standard  heights  and  weights  on  page  62. 

These  tables  are  taken  from  School  Feeding,  Its  History 
and  Practice  at  Home  and  Abroad,  whose  author  makes  the 
following  statement  in  regard  to  them: 

As  the  problems  of  development  and  nutrition  receive  increasing 
attention  in  this  country  it  is  necessary  to  have  available  for  reference 
some  standard  measurements.  The  British  Anthropometric  Association 
has  been  at  work  compiling  figures  for  the  use  of  British  investigators 
and  scientists,  but  their  figures,  though  probably  not  seriously  unsuited 
for  use  in  this  country,  cannot  be  used  for  exact  work.  The  accompany- 
ing tables  (III  and  IV)  compiled  by  Dr.  Wood  of  Columbia  University, 
are  in  part  the  result  of  measurements  made  periodically  during  ten 
years  on  thousands  of  boys  and  girls  attending  the  Horace  Mann  School. 

*  Reeder,  op.  cit.,  p.  31. 

t  Orphan  Asylum  Society  in  the  City  of  New  York.  Annual  Report,  19 10- 1 1 ,  p.  7. 

6l 


TABLES  III  AND  IV.    RELATIVE  WEIGHT  AND  HEIGHT  TABLES— BOYS   AND 

GIRLS. 

The  figures  under  the  age  column  represent  weight  in  pounds. 


.s 

Years — Boys 

'5  c 

5 

35 

38 
39 

41 
42 
46 

6 

36 
39 
41 
42 
44 
46 
48 

7 

42 
43 
46 
48 
49 
54 

8 

45 
48 
50 
53 
54 
57 
59 

9 

50 
53 
55 
58 
60 
62 
62 
65 

10 

53 
55 
58 
60 
62 
65 
68 
69 
71 

61 
61 
65 
68 

71 
77 
77 
78 

12 

63 

67 
70 
75 
76 
79 
84 
84 
85 

13 

67 
71 

75 

78 
80 
85 
86 
91 
98 
99 
100 

14 

67 
71 
76 
79 
82 
86 
90 
94 
97 
103 
107 
114 
122 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

39 

40 
41 
42 
43 
44 
45 
46 
47 
48 
49 
50 
51 
52 
53 
54 
55 
56 
57 
58 
59 
60 
61 
62 
63 
64 
65 
66 
67 
68 
69 
70 
71 
72 
73 

79 
82 
87 
91 
95 
99 
106 
112 
118 
119 
121 
128 
133 

90 
96 

104 
112 
120 
122 
125 
129 
133 
134 
136 

104 
110 
117 
122 
125 
128 
130 
136 
140 
140 

118 
120 
120 
126 
131 
136 
139 
143 
146 

120 
126 
129 
134 
136 
139 
144 
146 
149 

125 
130 
132 
136 
139 
145 
146 
154 
165 

fl 

Years — Girls 

5 

34 

37 
38 
41 
41 
45 

6 

7 

39 
42 
44 
45 
47 
50 

8 

42 
45 
47 
49 
51 
53 
56 

9 

49 
51 
53 
56 
59 
63 

10 

54 
57 
58 
62 
64 
69 

60 
62 
63 
68 
70 
75 

12 

63 
66 
69 

71 
75 
78 
83 
88 
94 

13 

65 

68 
73 

76 
80 
86 
8') 
94 
99 
104 

14 

78 
83 
88 
93 
96 
100 
104 
107 
112 
114 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

39 
40 
41 
42 
43 
44 
45 
46 
47 
48 
49 
50 
51 
52 
53 
54 
55 
56 
57 
58 
59 
60 
61 
62 
63 
64 
65 

35 
37 
39 
41 

43 
45 
48 

89 
97 
100 
102 

106 
109 
118 
118 

100 
104 
109 
111 
116 
116 
121 

109 
109 
110 
110 
117 
125 

103 
106 
107 
112 
114 
120 

99 

105 
HI 
113 
119 
123 

99 

111 
114 
114 
115 
125 

62 


PERSONAL   NEEDS   OF   CHILD 

The  figures  gotten  in  this  way  were  compared  and  checked  up  with 
those  of  Drs.  Bowditch  and  Hastings,  and  with  the  standard  adopted  by 
the  British  Anthropometric  Association.  The  tables  show  the  standard 
mean  variations  in  weight  as  related  to  height,  at  different  ages,  from 
five  to  twenty  years.  A  perfectly  well  child  of  ten  years  may  be  any- 
where from  48  to  56  inches  in  height  and  weigh  anywhere  from  53  to  71 
pounds,  but  if  his  weight  does  not  correspond  with  his  height,  or  if  he  is 
less  than  48  inches  tall,  there  is  something  wrong  with  his  development 
and  probably  with  his  nutrition. 

This  method  of  calculation  is  much  more  exact,  especially  in  a 
heterogeneous  group,  such  as  may  be  found  in  any  American  city,  than 
the  easy  and  crude  method  of  measuring  development  at  each  age  by  a 
single  figure  for  weight  or  height.* 

Form  1 5  (pages  58-60)  provides  for  a  continuous  record  of 
the  home  care,  feeding,  and  physical  condition  of  an  infant  from 
birth  up  to  the  age  of  one  year.  This  blank  indicates  the  medical 
and  social  facts  which  have  an  essential  bearing  upon  the  life  of 
an  infant  during  the  first  twelve  months. 

The  form  was  prepared  by  the  Department  of  Child-Help- 
ing of  the  Russell  Sage  Foundation  under  the  direction  of  a 
medical  advisory  committee,  consisting  of  Dr.  David  Edsall, 
Dr.  L.  Emmet  Holt,  Dr.  Abraham  Jacobi,  Dr.  J.  H.  Mason  Knox, 
and  Dr.  William  H.  Welch.  The  blank  has  been  formally 
approved  by  the  American  Pediatric  Society  and  by  the  Section 
on  the  Diseases  of  Children  of  the  American  Medical  Association. 

On  page  1  of  this  form,  the  figures  in  the  month  columns 
represent  dates.  The  record  shows  that  the  baby  was  born  on 
November  5 ;  that  she  was  with  her  mother  from  November  5 
to  December  21,  when  she  was  received  by  the  society;  that  she 
was  in  a  family  home  from  December  21  to  January  14,  in  the 
Babies'  Hospital  from  January  14  to  20,  in  a  second  family  home 
from  January  20  to  June  17,  and  in  a  third  family  home  from 
June  17  to  July  14,  the  date  of  her  death.  Similarly,  under  the 
section  "Feeding  History"  the  dates  in  the  different  columns 
show  the  periods  during  which  the  different  kinds  of  food  were 
given  to  the  baby. 

*  Bryant,  Louise  S.:  School  Feeding:  Its  History  and  Practice  at  Home 
and  Abroad,  pp.  222-224.    Philadelphia,  J.  B.  Lippincott  Co.,  19 13. 

63 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


Continuation  School  and  Efficiency  Records 

In  institutions  for  children,  school  curricula  and  records 
of  school  progress  should  at  least  follow  the  standards  set  by 
the  authorities  of  the  city  or  state  in  which  the  institutions  are 
located.  It  is  a  startling  fact  that  many  institutions  do  not 
conform  to  the  requirements  of  their  local  and  state  boards  of 
education  either  in  the  training  given  or  in  the  keeping  of  records. 

Outlines  of  prescribed  courses  of  study  may  be  obtained 
from  the  local  or  state  boards,  and  many  boards  have  adopted 
blanks  on  which  continuous  records  of  public  school  children 
are  kept.  Where  such  blanks  have  been  adopted,  they  could  be 
used  by  institutions.  In  many  cases,  however,  if  industrial 
teaching  is  given,  it  may  be  necessary  to  plan  a  modified  form 
to  include  this. 

It  is  suggested  that  Laggards  in  Our  Schools*  by  Leonard 
P.  Ayres,  and  the  Report  of  the  Committee  of  the  National 
Education  Association  on  Uniform  Records  and  Reports!  may 
be  helpful  to  institution  workers  in  showing  the  significance  of 
school  records. 

Efficiency  and  conduct  records  have  come  to  be  an  impor- 
tant factor  in  discipline  in  many  institutions,  and  if  skilfully  used 
are  extremely  helpful  in  developing  character,  industry,  and 
efficiency  in  the  children. 

The  superintendent  of  St.  Mary's  Female  Orphan  Asylum, 
a  large  Catholic  orphanage  in  Baltimore,  told  how  such  records, 
in  connection  with  a  system  of  rewards  and  punishments,  had 
lessened  the  disciplinary  problems  in  the  institution.  She  said 
that  it  took  a  large  part  of  the  time  of  one  Sister  to  keep  these 
records,  but  that  the  children  were  so  stimulated  by  having 
before  them  the  record  of  their  merits  and  demerits  that  the 
need  of  punishment  had  been  practically  eliminated. 

A  story  of  how  a  school  and  conduct  record  covering  a 

*  Ayres,  Leonard  P.:  Laggards  in  Our  Schools.  New  York,  Charities 
Publication  Committee,  1909. 

t  United  States  Bureau  of  Education,  Bulletin  No.  3  (whole  number  471). 
1912.  Report  of  the  Committee  of  the  National  Education  Association  on  Uni- 
form Records  and  Reports. 

64 


PERSONAL    NEEDS    OF    CHILD 

number  of  years  saved  a  boy  from  a  term  in  a  reformatory  is 
told  by  the  superintendent  of  another  orphan  asylum.  The  boy 
had  been  in  the  institution  for  four  years.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  he  was  discharged  because  his  family  was  in  serious  financial 
straits  and  needed  his  help.  Word  was  received  one  day  by  the 
superintendent  of  the  orphanage  that  the  boy  had  been  arrested 
for  felonious  assault.  An  investigation  showed  that  he  had 
been  set  upon  while  at  work  in  a  moving-picture  exchange  by  a 
gang  of  young  boys,  and  while  justifiably  defending  himself  had 
"  knocked  out"  one  of  the  gang  and  been  arrested.  The  superin- 
tendent took  the  records  of  the  boy  while  in  the  orphanage  and 
after  discharge  and  the  record  of  the  family  history,  and  went 
over  them  with  the  judge  of  the  juvenile  court  and  the  prose- 
cuting attorney.  On  the  strength  of  these  records  the  case  was 
dismissed. 

In  the  New  York  Orphanage  at  Hastings-on-Hudson,  the 
following  points  are  covered  in  a  child's  school,  conduct,  and 
efficiency  record: 

Cottage  mark,  which  includes  his  weekly  record  as  to  deportment, 
home  work,  manners,  etc.;  school  mark,  which  records  his  standing  as 
a  pupil;  efficiency  mark,  which  includes  his  record  as  a  worker  or  indus- 
trial factor  on  the  place;  and  social  service  mark,  which  indicates  the 
share  he  assumes  in  helpfulness  to  others.* 

The  efficiency  mark  and  the  social  service  mark  are  given 
only  at  the  end  of  each  month.  If  a  child  has  kept  to  a  high 
standard  of  efficiency  in  his  work  during  the  entire  month,  he 
gets  a  mark  "A."  If,  for  example,  the  baker  boy  makes  such 
good  bread  that  the  children  prefer  his  to  anyone's  else,  he  gets 
an  efficiency  "A."  If  the  janitor  takes  special  pride  in  keeping 
the  school  rooms  orderly  and  well  dusted,  and  does  not  have  to 
be  taken  to  task  about  his  work,  he  is  marked  "A,"  and  so  forth. 
Social  service  is  purely  voluntary.  An  older  child  may  take 
special  interest  in  the  younger  children,  or  in  caring  for  the 
flowers,  or  doing  something  else  which  adds  to  the  comfort  and 

♦Orphan  Asylum  Society  in  the  City  of  New  York.  Annual  Report, 
191 1-12,  p.   12. 

65 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

happiness  of  the  home  or  the  community.  For  this  a  social 
service  mark  is  given. 

Dr.  Rudolph  R.  Reeder,  the  superintendent  of  this  institu- 
tion, has  invented  a  method  of  displaying  these  records  by  a 
system  of  mosaics  on  the  wall.  The  children  take  great  interest 
in  it.     The  records  form  the  basis  for  granting  privileges. 

Form  1 6,  formerly  used  by  Thorn  Hill  School,  Warrendale, 
Pennsylvania,  suggests  a  simple  method  of  displaying  a  school 
and  conduct  record  for  a  full  year  on  a  single  page.  Form  17 
of  the  Hebrew  Sheltering  Guardian  Orphan  Asylum  is  used  by 
the  cottage  mothers  for  making  weekly  reports  to  the  superin- 
tendent. At  the  end  of  each  day  the  cottage  mother  and  the 
cottage  president*  together  decide  on  a  mark  to  be  given  each 
child.  This  mark  is  based  upon  the  conduct  of  the  child  and 
upon  the  rating  which  his  individual  work  receives  in  the  report 
rendered  by  the  cottage  efficiency  inspector.  The  marks  are 
transferred  from  these  sheets  to  the  individual  record  cards  of 
the  children  by  the  record  clerk. 

Miscellaneous  Records 

The  following  additional  records  are  mentioned  here  be- 
cause they  have  a  close  connection  with  education  and  develop- 
ment. 

Records  of  the  reading  done  by  children  are  kept  by  some 
institutions  as  a  guide  in  cultivating  a  taste  for  good  books. 
The  Hebrew  Sheltering  and  Protective  Association  of  Baltimore, 
for  example,  and  the  New  York  Orphanage  do  this. 

In  some  institutions  where  boys  and  girls  earn  money 
they  are  required  to  keep  accounts.  A  report  of  the  New  York 
Orphanage  states: 

Nearly  all  of  the  wage-earning  boys  and  girls  have  savings  bank 
accounts.  A  list  of  articles  of  clothing  stands  over  against  the  children's 
wage  scale,  and  increases  proportionately  with  it:  that  is,  the  higher 
the  child's  monthly  wage,  the  greater  the  number  of  articles  of  clothing 

*  Each  cottage  has  a  president,  who  is  one  of  the  children  elected  by  the 
children  in  the  cottage. 

66 


PERSONAL    NEEDS    OF    CHILD 


Form  8-1 M' 5-25 


ALLEGHENY  COUNTY  INDUSTRIAL  AND  TRAINING  SCHOOL  FOR  BOYS.  (5^) 

SCHOOL  RECORD. 

Name z2£^fc-<A^  


Cottage. 


7 


S&si-«<U~<sCt„. 


JCL 


Date 


j&ZJL 


DATE 

JAN. 

FEB 

MAR 

APRIL 

MAY 

.    JUNE 

JULY 

AUG. 

SEPT 

OCT. 

NOV 

DEC 

<h-A«*- 

Reading 

sm 

F,r 

FS 

'r?rf 

rf.r 

ff, 

F7 

if.r 

vl 

Writing 

9L 

*7 

ff 

Ff 

96 

9fl 

9<? 

<?<* 

FF 

Arithmetic 

fO 

90 

<?(i 

?fl 

?fl 

9/ 

9/ 

*?a 

9/ 

Spelling 

*1r 

<?.r 

9fr 

9/ 

8-4- 

FF 

2jL 

F? 

fi- 

f£- 

Geography 

ff-r 

ffA 

Ft 

ff 

rs 

Ft 

Language 

\*o 

Ft 

fd 

rPf?, 

FJ 

/*,? 

(P* 

f/i 

P*J. 

fla-hetry   M^Tl^, 

Ffl 

Ft 

FO 

*-<? 

Ff! 

P-fi 

F<f 

p-rf 

/ 

ro 

ro 

Ft 

#-<7 

F<1 

fFtf 

Fd 

8*/i 

'        f/\\ 

Carpentry                           ' 

Gardening 

Dairying 

1 
Poultry 

Farming 

Neatness 

& 

f. 

F 

F 

<£ 

£ 

£. 

F 

£ 

Comprehension 

e 

F. 

f. 

£ 

£ 

£ 

F 

F 

a 

Originality 

e 

r. 

r 

F 

£ 

F 

r 

F 

F 

Thoroughness 

£ 

A 

f 

<f 

a 

F 

f 

f 

_£_ 

Application. 

F 

A 

f 

r 

E 

£ 

£ 

F 

£ 

e. 

a 

£ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

F 

£ 

Total  Percentage 

72  % 

r?% 

r/'d 

?z%* 

92 

?23/7 

fz% 

v% 

f-3. 

(Former  School  Record  See  History  Card) 


.^CtLoL.  ..j&Z&ro&teL*. Teacher. 


Form  No.  16.    School  Record 
(Size  &lA  x  9  inches) 

«  Name  changed  to  Thorn  Hill  School.      Institution  located  at  Warrendale,  Pa.      A  revised  form 
of  this  blank  is  now  in  use  at  the  Thorn  Hill  School,  but  the  original  is  given  here  because  it  is  some- 
what more  comprehensive.      In  the  newer  form  the  line  for  the  school  "average"  immediately  follows 
the  studies,  which  is  preferable  to  the  arrangement  in  the  form  shown  here. 
In  the  above  record  E=  Excellent,  G=Good. 


67 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

"3febrew  Sheltering  <&uaroian  Society 

Of  ttew  VerK 

Orp  \)<\n  Asylum 
T>u<i5antvUi*.  yt  y. 

INDIVIDUAL   RECORD 


COTTAGE 

DATE 


iJU^y^^e.^./.f-/.^: 


Mon.       Tues.      Wed.    Thurs.      Fri.      average 


EST.  ^?^.  .X^<^t^<-^V^. 


Form  No.  17. 


Conduct  and  Efficiency  Record 
(Size  7x11  inches) 

68 


PERSONAL   NEEDS    OF    CHILD 

he  must  provide  for  himself.  This  teaches  him  how  to  buy  wisely  and 
also  the  value  of  care  and  economy  in  the  use  of  clothing.  All  the  money 
earned  is  paid  over  to  the  child  at  the  close  of  each  month.  Each  child 
earning  a  dollar  a  month  or  more  is  required  to  keep  an  itemized  account 
of  the  expenditure  of  his  money  and  to  submit  the  same  for  inspection 
at  the  close  of  each  month.* 

The  following  is  a  sample  page  from  a  child's  expense 
book:f 

Wages  received      .        .        .      $7.50 

Amount  paid  on  suit $3-°° 

Ticket  to  Hippodrome 100 

Car  fare -4° 

Deposited  in  bank 1.00 

Missions -4° 

Films  for  camera -4° 

Candy -3° 

Stockings .25 

Amount  given  sister .25 

Tooth  powder .20 

Tooth  brush .20 

Literary  dues -io 

$7.50      $7.50 

♦Orphan  Asylum   Society   in   the   City  of  New   York.    Annual  Report, 
1907-08,  p.  9. 

t  Ibid.,  Annual  Report,  1909-10,  p    11. 


69 


CHAPTER  IV 

INFORMATION  NEEDED  IN  PLACING-OUT 
AND  SUPERVISING  CHILDREN 

NO  one  questions  the  desirability  of  normal  family  life 
for  normal  children,  but  the  task  of  providing  it  is  one 
which  calls  for  skilful  selection  both  of  homes  and  chil- 
dren, and  for  patient  and  unrelaxed  watchfulness  after  the 
children  have  been  placed. 

A  child  should  never  be  returned  to  his  home  or  placed 
out  until  all  the  facts  about  him  have  been  carefully  gone  over 
and  the  plan  approved  by  an  efficient  case  committee. 

In  returning  children  to  their  own  homes  or  placing  them 
in  foster  homes,  child-caring  organizations  have  a  double  obli- 
gation.   They  must  see: 

First,  that  children  who  are  known  or  suspected  of  being 
feeble-minded,  suffering  from  infectious  diseases,  vicious,  or  con- 
firmed in  immoral  habits,  are  not  placed  out  except  under  special 
conditions  which  will  safeguard  both  the  children  and  those 
with  whom  they  come  in  contact. 

Second,  that  children  whom  they  do  place  out  are  placed 
in  homes  adapted  to  their  needs  and  are  thoroughly  protected. 

To  distinguish  between  children  who  should  and  should 
not  be  placed  out  is  much  easier  for  organizations  which  have 
full  family  history  records,  and  records  of  the  habits  and  char- 
acteristics and  the  physical  and  mental  condition  of  the  children. 
They  can  decide  more  intelligently,  with  the  help  of  these  records, 
which  children  are  mentally  capable  of  taking  a  normal  part  in 
the  life  of  the  community,  and  which  ones  should  have  perma- 
nent custodial  care  or  be  placed  out  only  under  special  conditions 
which  will  secure  the  necessary  protection  both  to  the  children 
and  to  the  community. 

A  single  instance  will  serve  as  a  warning  against  placing 
children  without  regard  to  their  capabilities  and  tendencies. 

70 


PLACING-OUT    AND    SUPERVISION 

A  little  girl  with  a  sweet,  refined  face  and  gentle  and  attractive 
ways  was  placed  out  by  a  children's  agency.  Difficulties  of  disposition 
soon  manifested  themselves,  which  resulted  in  her  changing  homes  fre- 
quently. She  proved  to  be  backward  in  school,  but  this  was  attributed 
to  the  numerous  changes  in  her  career.  She  was  finally  placed  with  a 
hardworking  couple,  lacking  in  worldly  experience,  on  a  farm  in  a  remote 
region,  and  nothing  was  heard  of  her  for  five  years.  An  institution  which 
had  later  received  a  half-sister  of  the  girl,  suspected  from  its  knowledge 
of  the  long  history  of  illegitimacy,  inefficiency,  and  crime  in  the  family 
that  the  children  were  probably  all  mentally  defective,  and  asked  per- 
mission to  visit  the  child  who  had  been  placed  out  by  the  agency.  When 
the  visitor  called  at  the  home,  the  foster  parents  poured  out  a  tale  of 
woe.  "We  have  done  the  best  we  could  by  her,  but  she  never  wa'nt  no 
good,"  they  said.  "We  sent  her  regular  to  school,  but  it  wa'nt  no  use, 
she  couldn't  larn.  You  couldn't  never  trust  her  with  nothin'.  We 
tried  to  larn  her  respectable  ways  and  decent,  but  she  wa'nt  made  that 
way."  Then  after  a  pause,  "  But  all  this  wa'nt  nothin'.  We'd  put  up 
with  all  this  willin'  if  it  hadn't  been  for  runnin'  after  boys.  Why,  do  you 
know,  the  only  reason  she's  home  now  is  because  she's  in  trouble."  Then 
followed  a  detailed  history  of  the  trouble  she  had  given  her  caretakers. 
To  the  trained  eye  of  the  visitor  it  was  obvious  that  the  girl  was  defective. 

When  these  facts  were  reported  to  the  agency,  it  at  once  placed  the 
girl  in  a  maternity  home,  and  later  had  her  transferred  to  an  institution 
for  the  feeble-minded. 

If  the  agency  which  placed  the  child  had  based  its  initial 
work  upon  an  adequate  record  of  the  family  history;  if  it  had 
seen  the  background  of  illegitimacy,  inefficiency,  and  crime,  and 
not  just  the  sweet,  attractive  face  of  the  little  girl,  it  could  have 
saved  her  from  falling  a  prey  to  unscrupulous  men,  and  also 
have  saved  the  foster  parents  years  of  worry  and  distress  and 
the  community  the  care  of  another  feeble-minded  baby. 

The  families  of  children  under  care  should  be  visited  from 
time  to  time  and  their  records  periodically  reviewed;  and  when 
requests  come  from  parents  to  have  children  returned  home  there 
should  be  a  full  consideration  of  the  existing  circumstances  of 
the  families.  This  is  necessary  in  order  that  agencies  may  neither 
keep  children  longer  than  their  best  interests  require  nor  dismiss 
them  unwisely.  Good  parents  should  always  be  helped  and 
encouraged  to  reconstruct  their  homes,  and  their  children  should 

7i 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

be  returned  to  them  as  soon  as  circumstances  make  it  safe.  On 
the  other  hand,  there  is  need  to  be  watchful  and  discriminating. 
Every  worker  is  familiar  with  relatives  who  become  actively 
interested  in  children  only  after  they  reach  working  age,  and 
with  parents  who  allow  personal  considerations  to  interfere 
seriously  with  the  welfare  of  their  children.  Agencies  which  do 
not  keep  in  close  touch  with  the  families  are  not  in  position  to 
know  when  it  is  possible  and  desirable  to  return  children  to  their 
own  homes. 

No  new  blanks  are  needed  for  recording  visits  to  or  re-in- 
vestigations of  a  child's  own  home.  The  facts  learned  should 
be  added  to  the  original  family  history  record.  If  a  prospective 
foster  home  is  to  be  considered,  however,  there  must  be  a  new 
line  of  inquiry,  corresponding  in  general  principles  to  the  investi- 
gation of  the  child's  family,  but  differing  somewhat  in  procedure. 

The  object  of  this  investigation  is  to  test  the  fitness  of  the 
applicant  as  a  guardian  for  a  child,  and  to  get  an  insight  into 
the  characteristics  of  the  family  which  will  make  it  possible  to 
decide  what  special  type  of  child  will  be  suited  to  the  home. 

Organizations  which  are  very  painstaking  in  their  efforts 
to  determine  the  moral  standing"  of  a  family,  and  to  see  that 
children  are  not  placed  in  homes  where  they  are  wanted  only 
for  their  labor  value,  often  fail  to  consider  questions  of  tempera- 
ment and  other  subtle  points  which  have  an  equally  important 
bearing  upon  the  happiness  of  the  children  and  upon  the  success 
of  foster  parents  in  dealing  with  them. 

If  harmonious  relations  are  to  be  secured,  the  temperament 
and  motives  of  the  foster  parents  and  the  opportunities  which 
they  can  give  a  child  must  be  studied  along  with  the  tempera- 
ment of  the  child,  his  abilities  and  ambitions.  A  girl  who  is 
fired  with  a  desire  to  become  a  teacher  would  probably  not 
make  a  contented  or  docile  housemaid ;  a  boy  who  promises  well 
as  a  mechanic  might  be  a  failure  on  a  farm;  a  woman  who  wants 
a  child  with  light  hair  and  blue  eyes  upon  whom  she  can  exercise 
her  talent  for  making  pretty  dresses,  may  not  have  a  sympathetic 
understanding  of  a  little  girl  who  delights  in  wading  brooks  and 
climbing  trees. 

72 


PLACING-OUT   AND    SUPERVISION 
Stutttutrb    1849.  Juinryoratcft    1801. 

Ety  dUfi\htm*B  Mission  to  (£l)\lbtm, 

Henry  M.  Williams,  President.  ,  Parker  B.  Field, 

Rev.  Christopher  R.  Eliot,  Clerk.  279   ©mtUlttt   S>t.  General  Secretary. 

William  H.  Slocum,  Treasurer  oeflCE   HQuRS  g  ^  TQ  g  p  ^ 

TELEPHONE.  OXFORD  2967 

Saaton.  fHaaaariiuarlfB. 

Mar  oh  ..9  % 191  3 

M  r,s. Jo hn„. Parker.., 

IJatiQk.,....Ma.ss., 

Dear  Madam  : 

Your  application  is  at  hand. 
As  it  is  highly  important  that  we  should  bring  together  a  boy  or 
girl  and  family  adapted  to  each  other,  it  is  not  possible  for  us  to 
give  you  a  definite  reply  until  we  know  further  particulars  in  relation 
to  your  home.  Will  you,  therefore,  kindly  answer  the  following 
questions. 

Please  give  full  name,  nationality,  and   age   of   yourself   and  of  each 
member  of  your  family. 

fid  asi~[     Ptx^hi^^.  3  2_ 


Is  each  in  good  health?  H^3 

If  not,  state  the  nature  of  the  disability. 


What  is  the  occupation  of  each  ? 

Form  No.  i8a.    Application  for  Child 
(Four  page  folder.     Size  of  single  page  <j}4  x  $}4  inches) 

73 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

Are  there  any  other  lines  of  business  which   are   carried  on,  or  is 
there  any  special  work  done  in  the  home?  /U> 

Do  you  ever  have  boarders  or  lodgers  in  your  home?      7i** 

Do  you  keep  hired  help,  and  if  so  do  they  lodge  in  the  house?      /L6 

What  is  your  church?  ^U^ci^rd^W 

Are  you  members?  //°^ 

Do  you  attend  regularly?  /^° 

How  many  rooms  have  you  in  your  house?       (o 

How  much  land,  how  much  livestock  have  you?     &~{~     5®  X   fOO 

Do  you  own  your  home?  /T^ 

How  far  are  you  from  church?       U4rtruJ~~'    a^     /t*<»JU— 

How  far  are  you  from  school  ?       Gsfnn^     U***j- 

How  far  from  the  postoffice  and  how  often  do  you  get  your  mail? 

What  is  your  railroad  station  and  its  distance?        /f  oXa^/^ 

What  conveyance  is  there  for  one  going  without  notice  ?  s><U/kJVlX     AHAs 

Please  give  full  directions  for  reaching  your  home. 

Form  No.  i8b.     (Second  page) 
74 


PLACING-OUT   AND    SUPERVISION 

How  can  we  reach  you  by  telephone  ?     77 '  v  -    &  **"       *  aX-aft 

What  facilities  have  you  for  telegraph,  and  express)     CCcLa****    &*fpAX>*4 

In  general,  we  pay  board  at  $2.50  per  week  and  furnish  clothing  for 
children  until  they  leave  the  grammar  school.  Payments  are 
made  monthly. 

As  children  reach  the  age  of  usefulness  it  is  expected  that  they  will 
be  cared  for  without  charge,  or  paid  wages,  according  to  capa- 
bility. 

We  seldom  place  more  than  two  children  in  one  family,  unless  they 
are  brothers  and  sisters. 


Upon  what  terms  would  you  prefer  to  take  this  child  I 


X 


A~T 


Have  you  taken  any  children  before  ?       fO> 

If  so,  from  whom,  and  how  long  did  they  remain  with  you? 

Have  you  an  application  with  any  other  agency?         /l>+* 

Please  state  your  preference  as  to  sex,  age,  nationality,  character,  and 
1 .  capability,  also  what  kind  of  a  child  you  could  possibly  take. 

C^*!^-*<-       a/U^TJ-t-       /u4L>*M~*<€v~       **>*—     cLl^uJL  ■ 

Would  you  take  a  delicate  child?      /^-tt-cX^- 

Would  you  take  a  mother  and  child?       /Lc 

What  work,  if  any,  would  be  required? 

Form  No.  i8c.     (Third  page) 
75 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR   CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


Would  you  provide  for  regular  attendance  at  church? 


How  many  weeks  of  schooling  does  your  town  offer  and  would    you 
allow? 


What  are  the  social  and  educational  advantages 


How  long  could  your  charge  probably  remain  with  you  if  satisfactory  ? 

Would  he  or  she  room  alone? 

Would  he  or  she  be  treated  as  a  member  of  the  family? 

How  long  have  you  lived  in  town?       <5    aAJ^o^^q 

If  only  a  short  time,  where  was  your  former  residence? 

Please  give  the  names  of  a  few  citizens  as  references. 


If  we  may  hear  from  you  in  reply  we  shall  be  glad  to  consider 
your  application  and  notify  you  when  we  have  such  a  boy  or  girl  as 
you  desire.  Yours  truly, 

Parker  B.  Field,  Gen.  Sec. 

per       /C 
Form  No.  i8d.     (Fourth  page) 


76 


PLACING-OUT    AND    SUPERVISION 

RECORDS  FOR  THE  INVESTIGATION  OF  FOSTER  HOMES 

Several  different  record  forms  are  used  in  the  investigation 
of  a  foster  home. 

First,  there  is  an  application  blank  to  be  filled  out  by  the 
person  who  wishes  to  take  a  child.  From  the  answers  to  the 
questions  on  this  form,  it  is  possible  for  an  agency  to  weed  out 
at  once  certain  types  of  homes  which  are  thought  to  be  undesira- 
ble. Questions  relating  to  occupation,  hired  help,  boarders, 
and  invalids,  for  example,  are  calculated  to  exclude  families 
wishing  to  take  children  as  servants  only,  or  homes  in  which  it 
would  be  dangerous  from  the  point  of  view  of  health  or  morals 
to  place  unprotected  children.  Forms  18,  19,  and  20  are  typical 
of  blanks  used  for  this  purpose  by  societies  which  place  out 
children. 

If  the  application  itself  reveals  no  conditions  which  would 
throw  a  home  at  once  into  the  rejected  group,  form  letters  should 
be  sent  to  persons  given  as  reference  by  the  applicant,  as  well 
as  to  independent  sources  of  information,  known  to  the  agency, 
for  the  purpose  of  learning  essential  facts  about  the  family  from 
those  acquainted  with  them.  Form  21  (page  83),  used  by  the 
Cleveland  Humane  Society,  is  typical  of  the  blanks  used  for 
this  purpose.  If  the  replies  to  these  letters  are  on  the  whole 
favorable,  a  visitor  from  the  agency  should  then  make  a  personal 
investigation  of  the  home  and  neighborhood  before  coming  to 
a  final  decision  in  regard  to  placing  a  child  there. 

No  child  should  be  placed  in  a  home  which  has  not  first 
been  visited  by  a  trained  worker.*  The  fact  that  an  applicant 
stands  high  in  the  community,  and  that  there  is  no  question  as 
to  his  motives  in  taking  a  child,  does  not  relieve  an  institution 
or  society  from  the  responsibility  of  seeing  the  home.  How  the 
best  intentioned  people  may  subject  children  to  serious  dangers 
through  sheer  ignorance  of  the  ways  of  the  world,  and  how  a 
preliminary  visit  to  the  home  may  remove  risks,  is  illustrated 
by  an  instance  which  recently  came  to  the  writer's  notice. 
(Text  continues  on  page  84.) 

*  Hart,  Hastings  H.:  Preventive  Treatment  of  Neglected  Children,  p.  228. 
New  York,  Charities  Publication  Committee,  1910. 

77 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 
CPD*  APPLICATION  FOR  GIRL 

Plewe  fill  out  and  return,  to  Edith  N.  Burleigh,    274  BoyUton  St,  Boston,  Mm. 

Your  first  name  JaA^U)  Pate.      d^iU     10,    /1 IX* 

Your  husband's  full  name         &as~t*'     ^ S^d^L 
Address  Tia^u^ZC^      M^<^. 

Shortest  way  to  get  to  your  house?     <Q*^  *h~^&-  S^a^t  rj.   aL>X-«™  ( 

Your  telephone  number?  or  nearest  telephone?        M***j  iQ&**- 

Do  you  have  a  whole  house?  £/w.  or  appartment?j  upper? 

1  \  lower? 

For  whom  does  your  husband  work?        <Q*s    h^%/    Arur*/    /**-W- 

Ages  of  your  » J sons?  '^>l 

(daughters?  1% 

Who  else  lives  in  your  house?  rh»    **■*- 

Have  you  any  lodgers  or  boarders?  I  men?  /to. 

\  women? 


Would  you  take  a  colored  girl?  f^° 

What  is  your  doctor's  name  and  address?     '"V-   — 


Have  you  a  hired  man?  yx*/ 

What  church  do  you  attend?  0**J£aW~c 

Could  the  girl  go  to  church  with  an  adult  of  your  family?  y-fc-a-" 

What  are  the  largest  wages  you  would  pay  for  a  capable  girl?         f  <2>    ^ 

Do  you  wish  her  to  wash  and  iron?  2*      £t£f>   UrCC^L      oML      £~~**-^~A 

Do  you  wish  her  to  cook? 

Will  she  have  the  care  of  the  children?        A* 

Would  you  take  a  mother  and  baby?  %-?i^L<L    t^n^^^t^-    *^ 

£.  if.  ±~<,,    ifa^^n^- 

What  is  your  pastor's  name  and  address?     oG^-  e?  «■"-**        fn  ' 

Please  give ^s^two^h^references.      X    V-    b**~*-       *"<*-      4^t^  J**J*> 

Have  you  ever  had  a  girl  from  any  other  society?         i^° 

What  society?  fit-/  JL    A-*^*^-     *£'t 

What  led  you  to  apply  to  us?     &**-     *j   ^   ouu^Uri*    «rfU    X~6  «-  p+-  /—  / 

How  lpng  wilLvoowait  ioragirl  >*  we  nave  not  a  suitable  one  for  you  now?         "  ' 

It  is  essential  that  a  girl  fitted  as  nearly  as  possible  for  the  particular  place  and  adaptable  to  the 
particular  conditions  be  selected. 
If  you  procure  a  girl  from  elsewhere  please  notify  us. 

You  are  expected  to  pay  the  girl's  carfare   to   your   home  and  the  transportation  of  her 
trunk. 

Form  No.   19.     Application  for  Girl 

Girls  Parole  Department,  Massachusetts  Training  Schools 

(Size  %Y*  x  1 1  inches) 

78 


PLACING-OUT    AND    SUPERVISION 
C.  4  P.  TELEPHONE,  No.  6980  ST.  PAUL 

WM  BULLOCK  CLARK,  President  GEORGE  L.  JONES,  General  Secretary 

ANNIE  K   SPALDING     '  ALDA  L.  ARMSTRONG 

Director  of  Home  f  Indlnft  Department  Assistant  Secretary 

THE  HENRY  WATSON 

Children's  Aid  Society 

AND 

MARYLAND  CHILDREN'S  AID  SOCIETY 

CHARITIES   BUILDINQ 

15  bast  Pleasant  Street 
Office  open  from  9  A.M.  to  5  P.M 

Baltimore.  Md Sept.. 1.4., 19.13. 

Mr s .  David   J.,..  Armstrong.,. 

Fr eder i clj ,   Md . „.. 


J)eax....M&dam: 


Your  application  for  a  child  has  been  received  Before  we  can  give  a  definite  reply,  we 
must  ask  you  to  tell  us  frankly  what  kind  of  a  home  yours  is,  and  also,  what  sort  of  a  child  you 
need.  Will  you  not,  therefore,  answer  as  fully  as  possible  the  following  questions,  read  care- 
fully the  attached  "Conditions  of  Placement",  and  give  the  names  of  five  references,  none  of 
whom  should  be  relatives? 

1  Do  you  want  Boy  or  Girl,  or  both?      ^.vJL 


2  What  should  be  the  age  from /Q  Jfi/9, to... 

Indlcate^non tha  or  years.    Give  widest  rans;<//»oeeible. 


iAJjfkix. 

.  rangevpoBsible 

3  What  work  would  you  require  it  to  do? 

4  Would  the  child  have  a  room  to  itself? ^£4/ If  not,  with  whom  would  it  share  a 

room? 

5  Would  it  be  treated  as  a  member  of  the  family?  . 

6  Have  you  taken  any  children  before? /to. If  so.  from  whom  and 

for  how  long? 


7  Have  you  had  experience  in  the  care  of  children? 


Form  No.  2oa.    Application  for  Child 
(Four  page  folder.     Size  of  single  page  -jJA  x  oJ<  inches) 

79 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR   CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 
8  Please  give  your  age,   and  the  names  and  ages  of  the  members  of  your  family: 

NAME  A.GE 

^a^^^....^^„/..^«*vc^«^... 4/r./hL 

^.M^JU^idL. <4fc*>lMJAJr>**a ..    J    &0 

^«^Jt^^r<trrr- A. 

...C^^^m^e^ fa0A^°&>-fch*>~. *J3 


Post  Office     yyblsckAMsol?  State VVUd.  •  County 

Street  No.  or  R.  F.  D. ., .^  .£-. %<M~<**~*iu<. /dtC, 

If  home  is  in  City,  be  careful  to  give  street  and  number 

9  What  is  your  station  or  landing? 

What  Railroad? .$• f..  .(*?.: What  Steam  Boat  Line?  ... 


How  far  do  you  live  from  the  Station,  in  what  direction? 

ll/OjCCfa.         cU^OryCt',, Z/.rf.    .f^<^Sr*rrr. 

10.  Have  you  hired  help  or  boarders  at  any  season  of  the  year?        /idT... 


11  If  the  former;  do  they  live  in  the  house,  and  are  they  men  or  women,  and  of  what  age? 


12  Do  you  own  the  house  in  which  you  live? y^AS 

13  How  many  rooms  are  in  the  house? q     

14  How  many  acres  of  land  do  you  own? w4£0..  ...-^VfTvt. 

15  What  is  your  occupation? (l^ktSkiS^kaikd^is^idkik Qn< /^4<^*-<K**u^— ■.. 

16  How  long  have  you  lived  at  your  present  residence? 25...  ..W-Xr&AA 


17  How  far  do  you  live  from  your  church? w.../4?.ph4r.<tAJt*!<Le!r. 

from  the  nearest  school? S ^favsW/Q 

from  your  post-office? OUtrey*?^.. .^r^^....^. ^fl***^^ 

18  To  what  denomination  do  you  belong,  and  what  is  the  name  and  address  of  your  pastor7 

- \J/U^J(h4XIa^<1^<  

I&ljx^^         ti  s&^j-  M-, 

Form  No.  20b.     (Second  page) 
8o 


PLACING-OUT    AND    SUPERVISION 

19  What  is  the  name  and  address  of  your  family  physician 

Jhu-JL Th^f^r., 9n.<^JLl:....Jt....- 

20  What  magazines  or  newspapers  do  you  take?_„.O^0-r<?£<r*«>.... 
hJLketaJkgSSe^ .^«^£fe~s~^^ 


21  What  is  your  object  in  taking  a  child? $£?. ihrr^^.9......<^t^...^^.. &rrr. 

...^o~^*r***r*n-u ^*7.....<*t*-y..-..:<!?^*r?*f. ,. —_ — 

22  Do  you  expect  to  adopt  it  legally? /Z*Q - 

23  May  we  send  the  child  any  time?.. J&rrfkr... 

24  Will  you  pay  the  expenses  (railroad  fare,  livery,  etc.)  of  sending  the  child  to  your  home? 


"fa- 


25  Name  person  near  depot  to  receive  child,  if  notice  should  be  delayed  in  reaching  you, 
/££ Ms+ir. /P^.^^.....^f^l.. , .. 

26  Give  names  and  addresses  of  five  persons  who  know  you  and  to  whom  we  may  write  for 
references. 


OCCUPATION 


Av ..,    if *M*sz<±*<n*-~ 

flu.  d-{ru<*  ^fiuA^^**-^ 


.^LO^UUr.. 


.^XA^^JUuaA^. 


..Kindly  fill  in  the  above  form,  and  if  you  will  retuf*  it  to  us  with  the  statement  that  you  are 
willing  to  observe  the  signed  Condition  of  Placement,  we  shall  be  glad  to  consider  your  appli- 
cation fully  and  if  satisfactory  give  you  a  child  as  soon  as  possible. 

If  you  have  a  preference  for  any  particular  kind  of  child  please  write  us  explaining  your  pref- 
erence. When  we  have  a  child,  such  as  you  desire,  we  shall  notify  you,  so  that  you  may.  call  or 
send  for  the  child. 

Yours  very  truly 

_...Gec>.,.  !».. Jones _ 

GENERAL   SECRETARY 

per  K. 
Form  No.  20c.     (Third  page) 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

Conditions  of  Placement 


The  undersigned  make  application  to  the  Henry  Watson  and  Maryland  Children's  Aid  Society 
for  a  child  to  be  placed  in  our  family  upon  the  following  conditions: 

1  The  child  is  to  be  taken  on  sixty  (60)  days'  trial. 

2  That  we  will  give  the  child  a  fair  opportunity  to  adjust  itself  to  the  home  before  return- 
ing it  to  the  Society. 

3  The  guardianship  and  legal  control  of  the  child  is  to  remain  in  the  Society,  unless  we 
shall  adopt  it  legally,  with  the  consent  of  the  Society. 

4  During  the  whole  time  the  child  is  in  our  care  we  will  furnish  it  comfortable  and  sufficient 
clothing,  care  and  medical  attendance;  will  send  it  regularly  to  day  school,  Sunday  school,  and 
religious  services,  will  provide  faithfully  for  its  well  being,  physical,  mental  and  moral;  and 
will  treat  it  in  all  respects  as  if  it  was  our  own. 

5  We  will  send  the  child  to  day  school  not  less  than  110  days  in  each  year  until  the  age  of 
sixteen  has  been  reached. 

6  We  will  pay  wages  to  child  at  15  or  16  years  of  age  when  not  in  school  unless  the 
Sociejty  prefers  some  other  arrangement. 

7  We  will  allow  the  child  no  communication  with  friends  or  relatives  without  the  consent 
of  the  Society. 

8  We  will  notify  the  Society  of  any  sickness  of  the  child.  We  will  give  the  Agent  of  the 
Society  free  access  to  our  home  and  the  child  placed  in  our  care. 

9  We  will  give  thirty  days  notice  when  child  is  to  be  returned. 

10  We  will  in  no  case  surrender  the  custody  of  the  child  to  a  third  party  without  the  written 
consent  of  the  Society. 

11  We  will  notify  the  Society  promptly  of  any  change  of  address  within  the  State. 

12  We  will  not  move  out  of  the  State  without  first  securing  the  written  consent  of  the  Society 
to  take  the  child  with  us. 

13  If  we  wish  to  return  the  child,  during  or  after  60  days,  we  will  return  the  child  comfortably 
clad,  free  from  injury,  contagious  or  infectious  diseases,  and  in  as  good  general  health  and  condi- 
tion as  when  received. 

14  It  is  understood  that  each  case  will  be  determined  on  its  merits,  taking  into  consideration 
the  child,  foster-parents,  the  environment  and  other  influences,  and  if  the  welfare  of  the  child, 
in  the  opinion  of  the  Society,  demands  its  removal  at  any  time  previous  to  adoption  the  right  of 
the  Society  to  remove  the  child  is  granted. 


>CSL^ 


If  you  have  telephone  note  8igned;../WW*^*j>. ^.jr...J*r*£££2tT5*7C*|  Husband 

Central    and    number  here  (/ 

Signed &.<l&hjeA4*JZ.    U^u^itl^rv^L. Wife 

If  you  cannot  be  reached  by  telephone  or  telegraph  give  name  and  address  of  person  who 
would  send  you  a  message. 


Form  No.  2od.     (Fourth  page) 
82 


PLACING-OUT   AND    SUPERVISION 
Home  Finding  and  Child  Placing  Department 

The  Cleveland  Humane  society 

506  CITY  HALL     . 


Cleveland.  Ohio.     -  ¥M.9h _7j 191 3 

Dr._  Joseph ..  Kline  »„ _ 

2M„CAl^rjfc._S4.,L.^Jtodi, Qhio... - 

Mr ....  .and  ....lira ... ..Henry  .Frank 

of l£di have applied  to  this  Society  for a.  Child 


In  order  that  we  may  decide  this  matter  rightly,  with  the  child's  best  interests  in  view,  we  need  to  know  the  whole  truth  in  regard  to 
the  character  of the  applicants  and  their  family,  their  home  life  and  surroundings;  and  whether  a  child  would  find  with  them  a  thoroughly/ 
happy  home,  kind  care,  and  moral  training.  Will  you  kindly  answer  the  following  questions  as  fully  and  frankly  as  possible.  Whatever 
you  write  will  be  treated  as  strictly  confidential.   Thanking  youfortbe  courtesy  of  a  prompt  reph  in/rvf/slamped  envelope  enclospfy  am. 

Sincerely  yours,      (^fr/7^s^<  *s^^_jSjy7-*^  j2^f 

Is  Mr.     Frank  of  strictly  temperate  habits?  /&**■  C/ L/» 

Is  he  kind  and  just? »■£ j&~~K   A-Q 

Is  Mr*  .     Frank a  good,  sensible  woman?  ~4*fe..  *4      <l<rmL.r ^^....^^.....^...^^u-^va^^^ 

Do  they  live  happily  together?- - — 3 dLgtsMZ-AssMOsL 

Is  the  moral  standard  of  the  family  high? !4\4 _ 

Is  the  family  in  good  health? Uc4- 

What  is  their  financial  condition?-- m..A 


Have  they  a  comfortable  home?- - jk*<l 

Would  you  consider  it  a  desirable  home  for  a  child  of  yours?—        Lt2*v£y /n<WAr 


Do  they  attend  church  regularly? C7      't/h*^<^r\      ~V>hJ-<4      pU>, 

How  long  have  you  known  the  family?  MW* :..f. J&Ukx. ...   Are  you  related  to  them  by  marriage  or  otherwise?.. fltf 

Please  state  any  further  particulars  that  mayjhrow  light  on  their  character  and  standing. 

■NKfe i*~— o*^j...A^L dk^k^^L,, unZ& j-4*^vZ- /rU<-^^..A.-£^^-^^y A 

.M^^^T. Ofx-r^rr. .^*~-*i<~i^&h^..  J&v *v</ 4^-r*^ £j^l_0dfrr^*!<L UA-£?£ 

\\J^.A***--r.> £^...M*r~~r* £T    -U- <*Z~~ *L t*~ ^»v cA^UL..' _ 


Signed fh~lJLJJL OOU^Jt— 

Date       m.&*r.<d.     IP ]9\  3  Occupation  and  business  address  (P'L^^U^^- 

_ __ _  X&f ^>.aM^^C.. J&L 

Form  No.  21.     Recommendation  Blank 
(Size  8}4  x  1 1  inches) 

83 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR   CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

A  young  colored  girl  had  been  placed  as  a  nurse  maid  with  an  emi- 
nently respectable  family.  The  preliminary  investigation  had  been 
omitted  because  of  the  unquestioned  character  and  standing  of  the  man 
and  his  wife,  who  were  prosperous,  conscientious  and  sympathetic  college- 
bred  people.  When  the  visitor  called  at  the  home  some  months  later, 
she  found  that  the  girl  had  been  given  a  room  in  a  part  of  the  house 
entirely  separated  from  that  occupied  by  the  family,  and  that  the  only 
other  person  who  slept  in  this  wing  was  a  young  white  man  who  worked 
on  the  place.  The  possible  danger  of  such  an  arrangement  had  not 
occurred  to  the  family,  who  immediately  remedied  the  situation  when 
it  was  pointed  out  to  them. 

Most  of  the  regular  child-placing  societies  have  a  printed 
form  upon  which  the  visitors  report  the  results  of  their  investi- 
gations of  foster  homes.  Form  22  is  used  by  the  Florida  Chil- 
dren's Home  Society.  It  is  similar  in  most  respects  to  those  in 
general  use  among  child-placing  societies.  Form  23  is  used  by 
the  St.  Louis  Board  of  Children's  Guardians.  It  is  especially 
adapted  for  reporting  upon  city  homes.  The  points  under  the 
section  "Child  in  Home"  on  the  St.  Louis  blank  are  especially 
worth  noting;  also  the  points  under  "Home  Neighborhood." 
The  writer  has  seen  no  other  blank  of  this  kind  which  provides 
for  a  report  of  recreational  and  educational  opportunities  outside 
of  school. 

Many  organizations,  as  a  matter  of  courtesy,  write  to  appli- 
cants whose  homes  have  been  investigated,  telling  them  whether 
or  not  a  child  is  available  for  them.  Form  letters  are  often  used 
for  this  purpose. 

Forms  24  and  25  show  the  letters  sent  out  by  the  Boston 
Children's  Mission;  24  is  sent  to  families  whose  homes  have 
been  approved,  25  to  families  not  approved. 

RECORDS  FOR  THE  SUPERVISION  OF  PLACED-OUT  CHILDREN 

After  a  child  has  been  placed  in  a  family,  he  should  be 

visited  faithfully  and  reports  of  these  visits  should  be  carefully 

recorded.    The  frequency  of  the  visits  should  be  determined  by 

the  age  of  the  child  and  the  conditions  under  which  he  is  placed.* 

*  Hart,  Hastings  H.:  Preventive  Treatment  of  Neglected  Children,  p.  240. 
New  York,  Charities  Publication  Committee,  1910. 


Children's  Home  Society  of  Florida 

Report  on  Home  personally  investigated QsX^.S- 1913. 

Home  of-.„¥fflJ.P«.8al4wiA - Residence ...Bronnon Phone.. -t~_. 


THE   FAMILY 

1.  How  does  it  stand  as  to  honesty,  morality  and  trustworthiness? Excellent 

2.  How  does  it  grade  in  education? G«flA In  intelligence?.. GooA 

3.  Are  they  kind  hearted  and  sympathetic? .Very. 

4.  Do  they  seem  generous  and  liberal  in  spirit? Yes 

5.  Does  any  member  of  the  family  use  intoxicants?.. .&Q 

6.  Did  you  learn  of  any  bad  personal  faults  or  habits? No. 

.7.  Are  they  frugal  and  industrious?. .. A_.thrii_ty_ faraily.  .0_£_(tejn»arLAe8Cfi.rit 

8.  What  is  their  income. __.Abou.t.$10.0_.mo Its  source?..Mr».3^.is.a_JttachJjai8l._ 

9.  Habits  of  church  going. . .regular:. Are  they  active  in  church  work?.._Mra.  .B—  is 

10.  Did  you  interview  husband?... Yea. Temperament... Quiet,,  pleasant. 

11.  Did  you  interview  wife? Yftfl. Temperament. ..Cha.exfulr  .active.. 

12.  Husband's  purpose  in  taking  child?(To.  dQ_s.ojnething.f.ar-Ohild.and_to_.hava.-Confc--- 

13.  Wife's  purpose  in  taking  child?.__.(panicns}iipJ 

14.  Are  there  children  in  the  Home? How  many? Ages?.. 23 


THEHOME  jJi  8tory  frame  house,  lawn, 

1.  Describe  their  property.. garden  and_f.ruit._io_  rear Appproximate  value. .$3-»5QQ- 

2.  Is  the  home  cleanly? Yen Neat?. .Yes Convenient?... Yes. .. 

3.  Have  they  books? Standard  Papers?. .Daily.-  Musical  instruments? .Piano.—-  Pictures.  Yet>- 

4.  What  of  the  furnishings? Comfortable: -.  Cultured?... Yea ... 

5.  What  of  the  neighborhood?.. food,  residence -neighborhood. 

6.  Will  they  give  a  child  reasonable  school,  church  and  social  privileges?. --Excellent 


7.  Describe  children  in  Home.. rr." Lodging  place?.  .Child. would 

.     ,     ,  have  pleasant  room  alone. 

8.  If  a  Society  ward  is  now  in  the  home,  give  name.—-": 

9.  Date  of  placement.... :.--.-. 

10.  General  Remarks. .JJoiaa.seejna.almQBt- ideal.  ..Mrs.  .B-.l-is.ajSoman.-of.  ref  inameat-,--- 

tactlul.  ftnd.yjary.hojapltah.le^,..  .Plenty. of.  .good.  .books  .and  maga  a  inea„ .  -  Would 

take . either. bo.y.or.^irlr.S.?'-12.yra.. old. .. Might. -take. a  brother- -and. sister, - 


11.  What  is  your  recommendation?.. ..Think-that  .they -wojuld-have.patience  .and  _ability~to 
.handle, a  .difficult". .child  .provided. .child-ware -oi- -good- -mentality-.- 


Signed... M^.y^Pord. 


♦Daughter  at  present  away  teaching. 

Form  No.  22.    Visitor's  Report  on  Foster  Home 

Children's  Home  Society  of  Florida,  Jacksonville 

(Size  8}4  x  1 1  inches) 

85 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

It  often  happens  that  organizations  assume  that  discharged 
children  are  well  and  happy  if  they  "never  complain,"  or  that 
they  are  getting  along  successfully  if  they  come  back  to  visit 
the  institution,  or  are  not  returned  by  their  foster  parents.  As 
one  institution  superintendent  said:  "Girls  who  are  doing  all 
right  come  back  to  visit  the  Home;  if  they  don't  come  back  it 
generally  means  that  they  are  not  doing  what  they  should." 
The  fallacy  of  such  an  assumption  is  seen  in  the  story  of  a  child 
who  was  placed  out  by  an  institution  at  the  age  of  fourteen.  She 
frequently  came  back  to  visit  and  seemed  to  be  happy  and 
doing  so  well  that  no  one  ever  thought  of  going  to  see  her  until 
a  placing-out  agent  was  added  to  the  institution  staff.  The  agent 
looked  the  girl  up  and  found  that  she  had  been  living  an  immoral 
life,  had  had  an  illegitimate  child,  and  had  subsequently  married 
a  man  three  times  her  own  age.  When  the  case  was  reported 
to  the  institution,  the  superintendent  remarked,  "Isn't  that 
strange,  she  always  seemed  to  be  doing  well!" 

Form  26  is  used  by  the  Children's  Aid  Society  of  Pennsyl- 
vania for  recording  visits  to  placed-out  children.  It  does  not 
differ  essentially  from  the  forms  used  by  many  other  child-plac- 
ing societies.  In  addition  to  the  points  listed,  this  form  provides 
liberal  space  on  both  sides  on  which  visitors  are  expected  to 
record  the  social  activities  of  the  child,  his  recreation,  associates, 
and  other  matters  concerning  him,  his  home  and  environment. 

Between  visits,  agents  should  keep  in  communication  with 
the  children  and  the  foster  parents.  Blanks  should  not  be  used 
for  this  purpose.  Informal  correspondence  is  the  more  human 
and  the  better  way.  Correspondence  should  never  take  the 
place  of  systematic  visitation,  but  it  has  a  definite  value  in 
making  both  the  children  and  the  foster  parents  feel  the  friend- 
liness and  interest  of  the  visitor.* 

Often  persons  who  are  the  most  efficient  executives  are 
the  most  careless  recorders,  and  it  should  be  impressed  upon  them 
that  when  they  have  obtained  important  information,  often  at 
(Text  continues  on  page  95.) 

*  Some  boards  of  trustees  send  letters  to  their  wards  at  holiday  seasons, 
along  with  little  tokens,  post  cards,  and  so  forth. 

86 


BOARD   OF   CHILDREN'S   GUARDIANS 

CITY    OF    ST.    LOUIS 

VISITOR'S    REPORT.  HOMES    FOR    CHILDREN. 


application  or S.chro.&de.rr..Ma.rgare.t.. 


_l$t 


NAMES 

AGS 

LIVING  AT 
HOME 

OCCUPATION  AND  WAGES 
SCHOOL   AND   GRADE 

NATIONALITY 

RELIGION 

Wm 

WIFB    Margaret 

«i2 

Tab 

.Yes 

....H.o.ue.e.w.if.e...._ 

-..Stenographer...-. .$6q...bku.. 

Gorman. 

AOU 

*         Viola 

child    (M.re.,...Pi.e.rc..ej 

2<> 

It 

cHiLDnd7Phn.. Pierce 

.....2.. 

Tea 

„ 

..28...p.Q.(narried 

....Locksmith 

Abu 

11 

1 

CHILD  

j 



HUSBAND  EMPLOYED  AT  .. 
MEMBERS  OP  HOUSEHOLD! 


....0ne...i?pn;an.Jpdger>..OTa7..durin.g...<i.aj.<... 


..in..pr.iYa.£e..J.aMU.es.. .Pa.m...$.8...a...mpMh..ren-t.> 


REASON  FOR  WISHING  CHILDREN Sft.-..SHEP.l«SSatJSP«5«U 

mmily  will  take .Qn.ft...chiIcl.,....fee.tw.ft9ii..l..a.ad...3...7.Qar8.. 

_ - - FOR  . 


..$10... 


..$13- 


DOLLARS.. 
DOLLARS... 


21S0  Park  -  at  Logan's  Drug  Store 
.phone  3.. blocks.. away.. 


address l33.AU.en._.S.tr.o.ot 

LOCATED  ON  STREET  OF  ._..PaVing,..S)tOne. .....MATERIAL,      MAIN  SEWERS  LAID  AND  DWELLING  CONNECTED.  „X??_. 

CONSTRUCTION  OF  DWELLING fLj&.&f)Xy..-£jCWQkTT  ACHED  OR  SEPARATED.     FLAT,  DWELLING.   APARTMENT _ 

45TIMATED  SIZE  OF  FRONT  YARD._..3Q.-X-3£ OF  BACK    YARD-3Q— *-.5.0- NUMBER  OF  ROOMS  .(?..- 

NUMBER  OF  BED  ROOMS? 3. -..IS  PLUMBING  INSTALLED  AND  IN  FAIR    CONDITION? ?•• „ _ 

HAS  DWELLING  A  BATH  ROOM TflS _ INSIDE  TOILETS  OR  OUTSIDE   VAULTS?  ....?.5.?i.*..? 

HOME  NEIGHBORHOOD! 

i.     ARE  THERE   ANY   INFLUENCES   CLOSE   TO   HOME   WHICH    MAKE  IT  UNDESIRABLE?  MO 


.Barman, 


WHAT  IS  NATIONALITY  O  F  NEIGHBORHOOD? 

IS  IT  A  HOME.  ROOMING  HOUSE  OR    BUSINESS  DISTRICT?  ....H9S9..*i.1fh..&„.!..<W...Sl^  

WHAT  PARK  IS  NEAR? 21.088 - _...  „ PLAYGROUND  , H0nfl»....._._.-.  LIBRARY„...Grant...SJt.^. 

Good  backyard,  eod  and  garden. 

HOME,  FAMILY  LIFEl 

VISITOR  WILL  REPORT  FULLY  ON  PERSONALITY.  AMIABILITY.  HABITS  AND    FAMILY   LIFE    OF    MEMBERS    OF    HOUSEHOLD. 

especially  of  .foster  mother'  and  father.     Mrs.  S.  and  her  daughter  are  both  widows.     Mrs.  £.   keeps 

the  ho.me„.a.nd.„C.arej„..f.g^ .S.h.e..-qo.n.8.i.d.e.rfi...tbai.il.would.;be  but 

■littla..jnQra...wftri...teL..caM._fnr..a^^ 

fe......S.....ls...a.n.;.e.f.f.ig.ifint..,...w^^  Both  she  and,  her,  daughter  are  cheerful  and 

Pleasant  and  their  home  lite  seems  to  be  unusually  normal  and  happy.  ;  Married  son  and  his 
family  visit  frequently.  " 

Form  No.  23A.    Visitor's  Report  on  Foster  Home  (Face) 
(Size  8K  x  1 1  inches) 

87 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


FAMILY'S  CHURCH  ATTENDANCE  AND  ACTIVITIES. 

fegular  attendant*  fff  the.  TCfllft*""*  Chm«fc  -  »»«<>•«  «*- 


TIDINESS  AND  ORDER  OP  HOME. 

Cl«an.,..j;.9M.Qrtahl«>..ftBl..hP.mfilika..jaIddlfl...claa8...hQina.. _ _.. 

HOME,  CHILD  IN  HOME. 

WILL  CHILD  HAVE  ITS  OWN  ROOM?  _..-.H.9. OWN    BED?  T.0» IP  NOT.  WITH  WHOM  WILL  CHILD  SLEEP! 

- ARE  THERE  OTHER  OCCUPANTS    OP   SAME    ROOM? * WHAT   DUTIES    WILL   CHILD   HAVE 

ABOUT  THE  HOUSE?  _ - WHAT  RECREATION  AND   WHERE  ...Children    tan.. jiay.._ 

WHAT  PETS  OR  DOMESTIC  ANIMALS?  «&$._ - 

remarks:  .*...IP....8.aaa..ro,o^,.,fflt^                                                                                                       and  her 
_.._ aether....... __ _ 


VISITOR'S  RECOMMENDATIONS. 

Think  thftt  a  child  weald  he  Intelligently  .cared  for  and  well  trained. 


Jay...lU>..19Xlf _ _ _SIgnaturb l,.„K,...Mrris.. 


i— Mawmnrnw  .Bm^  Ssaer  aaya .both  Bother  and  .daughter  are  .highly  reputable  members  of 
hie  Church. 

OTHER  PARTIES  _ : - - , _ 

gr,  gt  Br  Croae,  family  physician,  etated  that  lira.  8.  le  a  wo«»m  wftfo  T***  «"—■"" 

.6enee....ftnd..gQ.Qd....Judg»flnt.,^^^ _ _ 


AGENT'S  RECOMMENDATION. 

_..._ lbA.t....th±e...hQmft_^ 


BOARD'S  ACTION. 


Form  No.  23  b.     (Second  page) 
88 


PLACING-OUT   AND    SUPERVISION 

49.  Jatcrporatrb    1BB4. 

5tye  (EljUtett'H  Mission  In  (SHytlfcrot, 

Henry  M.  Williams,  President.  Parker  B.  Field, 

Rev.  Christopher  R.  Eliot,  Clerk.  279   ©ITOUmt   fSl.  General  Secretary.. 

William  H.  Slocum,  Treasurer.  ofF1CE   H0(JRS  9  A  M.  TO  5  PM. 

TELEPHONE,  OXFORD  2967 

Soston.  fSasaarfwHrns. 

Jaa-....23.t....1913 

IDrs..  J... B*. Foster, 

Newton,  Mass. 

The  Children's  Mission  has  acted 
favorably  upon  your  request  to  receive  into  your 
family  one  or  more  children  and  your  application 
has  been  placed  upon  file. 

As  each  child  comes  to  us  we  place  it  directly 
with  the  waiting  family  which  best  fits  its  needs 
and  we  trust  we  may  soon  be  able  to  send  a  child 
to  you. 

If  anything  occurs  which  prevents  you  from 
taking  a  child  kindly  let  us  hear  from  you. 
Sincerely, 


C%aSI&L 


General  Secretary, 
Form  No.  24.     Form  Letter  to  Applicant  Whose  Home 
Has  Been  Approved 
(Size  6  x  9^  inches) 

89 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


2iutttstr2>   1849.  Jiuorpormlrb    1884. 

Stye  tittpftrttt**  MiBBion  to  GUjtl&rot, 

Henry  M.  Williams,  President.  Parker  B.  Field, 

Rev.  Christopher  R.  Eliot,  Clerk.  279   UJrPtttOn!   &L  General  Secretary 

William  H.  Slocum,  Treasurer.  office   hours  9  a.m.  to  8  P.M. 

TELEPHONE,  OXFORD  2967 

Buaimt,  fHasaarhuHrtte. 


.March....8.r 1914 


.Ms......lAura..Folksa....ua.jrl).l$k6iad.^...Aas8. 

Dear  Madam: 

Your  application  has  been  carefully 
considered  and  we  .regret  to  report  that  we  oannot 
comply  with  your  request  as  we  do  not  consider 
your  home  adapted  to  our  needs. 
Sincerely, 


C%u„/l£& 


General  Seoretary 

Form  No.  25.     Form  Letter  to  Applicant  Whose  Home 

Has  Been  Rejected 

(Size  6  x  9K  inches) 


90 


N__fX^_         CHILDREN'S  AID  SOCIETY  — .j^A^ 

OF  PENNSYLVANIA 

REPORT  OF  VISIT  TO  A  CHILD 

NaaMoTChiid  Color  Age  Religion 

Rogers,  John  W_, 12 Cath. 

With  whom  placed  P.O.  R.  F  D.  No.  County.  State 

= ;Jr3.  J,H.  Wella  „  „  , ,. test  Cheater  AA.    ,, — = — Ji—. Chester Pa. 

Name  of  nearest  andmost  convenient  R.  R.  station .  TJis.  and  dir.  of  home  from  this  station 

West  Chester. P.R.R. 3-1/2  miles  west 

Conditiona        ii    i, ill 
Clothing 


Has  had  no  illness. Appears  to  he  well  and  vigorous 

ig  Manner: 


Suitable  and   clean. , goM 

1A    .-loan.  ->!«««    Jr.    o^inta    rs-wtrr.   >  ^  It 


Does  child  sleep  alone  in  separate  room  ?  If  not,  where  artd  > 


In  separate  bed,  in  room  with  Mr.  Wells1  grown  son. 

i  the  child  happy? 


Was  child  seen  alone? 


Appears   to   fra  . Ye 8 

What  worft  does  child  do  ? 

Light  chores  -on- 1 antu 

Any  bad  habits  ? 

I Hone-mentioned 


>  cleanliness,  order  and  comfort? 


Fair- 


of  house,  barn,  yard,  etc. 

Btiildfe^gft  in  good  repair^ — fomi&da  clean^ 


What  newspapers 

Are  relations  oet  ween  cm  Id  and  foster  paVentsaffcciionate  a  n  cT  Co  i  indent  iaf? 


JTflfl- 


Has  the  child  been  visited  by  parents,  rela 


Is  the  home  adapted  to  the  child  ? 

Yes 


Are  foster  parents  pleased  with  child  ? 

Iea_ 


Is  child  boarding,  free  or  receiving  wages  ?  Does  family  wish  to  legally  adopt  < 


Fret, Ho_ 


Any  new  impressions  as  to  family? 


What  suggestions,  if  any,  were  made  to  the  foster  parents  ? 


Have  you  any  recommendati- 


Had  an  interesting  talk  with  John.  He  had  gone  to  the  circus  the  day  before 
!and  had  a  great  deal  to  tell  about  the  things  he  had  seen.  Showed  me  a  young  pig 

|wMnh  ha  1b  raising  to  sell. He  earned  money  selling  frogs  and  bought  the  pig  when 

iit  was  very  small  from  Mr,  Wells.  Mr,  and  Mrs,  Wells  say  they  are  pleased  with  John 
jand  want  him  to  have  all  the  pleasure  possible.  Next  week  the  high  school  boys  are 
to  have  an  athletic  meet  at  the  fair  grounds  and  John  expects  to  attend.  He  helps 

(OVER) 

Form  No.  26a.     Report  of  Visit  to  Placed-out  Child  (Face) 

Children's  Aid  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia 

(Size  8  x  io,J4  inches) 

91 


:ion_l  Remark... 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


care  for  tha  horsoa  and  chickens  and  does  work  in  the  garden. Ha. 


says  that  ha  likes  his  home  and  ha  appears  to  have  frank  and  friendly  relations 

with  the  members  of  the  family, 

He  has  for  playmates   the  two  sons,  aged  12  and  Ik,   of  a  neighbor 

on  an  adjoining  farm. House  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away, 


ATTENDANCE  RECORD 

(Inclaaiv.  from  date  lui  vi.itl 


SCHOO. 

MMm, 

Year 

Church 

*„„,„ 

February 

March 

April 

May 

Ha«  attended  regularly 

,__. 

191U 

Attends    c.hiirrh    *wary  Sunday 

July 

Au__, 

September 

October 

November 

December 

Rev.  S.  C.  Logan 


Name  of  School  Teacher 

Mias  L.  M.  Jackson 


I'tnmnui.Uiun 

.Catholic 


R.F.D.  #2. 


W,  o. 
Jlaat  Ch.eatar_._Pa,., 

P.  O.  Address        ' 

Wa-it  Cheater     Pa. 


_iI____._Sloan 


Form  No.  26B.     (Reverse) 
92 


PLACING-OUT   AND    SUPERVISION 


HENRY    WATSON    CHILDREN'S    AID    SOCIETY 

SCHOOL    REPORT 


For  Month  Ending— 

6U^ 

',       &>                      191  H- 

acher. 

CONDUCT                                                                                                 ATTENDANCE 

Hatful 

Sm< 

Fair 

Poor 

M 

Ml 

PlKMl 

Abitnt 

Truant 

Tarty 

/ 

Monday 

A.  M. 
P.  M., 

S 

Tuesday 

A.  M 

P    M  . 

...J. 

^ 

Wednesday 

A.  M.. 
P.  M.. 

S 

Thursday 

A.  M.. 

P    M.. 

/ 

Friday 

A.  M.. 
P.  M.. 

Monday 

A.  M. 
P    M 

Tuesday 

A.  M  . 

P.  M.. 

../.... 
.../.... 

/ 

Wednesday 

A.  M.. 

P.  M.. 

S 

Thursdny 

A.  M  . 

P.  M  . 

s 

Friday 

A.  M. 
P    M.. 

• 

Monday 

A    M.. 
P.  M  . 

..../.. 

s 

Tuesday 

A.  M 
P.  M.. 

v' 

Wednesday 

A.  M.. 
P.  M.. 

s 

Thursday 

P.  M.. 

/ 

Friday 

A.  M.. 
P    M  . 

</ 

Monday 

A.  M. 
P.  M.. 

..../ 

• 

Tuesday 

P.  M.. 

* 

Wednesday 

A.  M 
P.  M.. 

1/ 

Thursday 

J 

P.  M.. 

*/ 

Friday 

A.  M.. 
P.  M. 

*s 

Monday 

A.  M 
P.  M.. 

IS" 

Tuesday 

A.  M.. 
P.  M.. 

,..._.... 

*s 

Wednesday 

A.  M.. 
P.  M.. 

f 

Thursday 

A    M  . 

P.  M  . 

s 

Friday 

A.  M  . 

P.  M.. 

Form  No.  27A.     School  Record  of  Placed-out  Child  (Face) 

Henry  Watson  Children's  Aid  Society,  Baltimore 

(Size  5K  x  8)4  inches) 

93 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR   CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


Report  of <:??^Z3??^Zfc*^^ 

For  Month  of <£^fe^f. :..Z.?.../.6t.- 

In  what  grade ITT.^T. 

Reading £...0.. 

Spelling Z.J~. 

Writing  £..0 

Arithmetic *?...&.. 

Geography Q_.A 


Other  Studies 

Did  child  seem  in  good  health  ?..<^r^^^w^....ff^...^ 
Remarks : 


a  ^ 


-^/-zt^z,  /fi-e^e^^  ^L^a-^i 


^zzLts4 


Please  write  us  frankly  about  matters  concerning   the 


child. 


Form  No.  27B.     (Reverse) 
94 


PLACING-OUT   AND    SUPERVISION 


^£u 


Pastor's  Report  of 


great  expense,  they  should  put  it  on  record.  When  children  or 
other  persons  visit  the  office  of  an  organization,  or  when  they 
are  met  outside,  incidental  information  secured  from  them  should 
be  recorded,  giving  the  date  and  the  name  of  the  informant. 

In  addition  to  re- 
ports by  the  visitor, 
reports  from  the  school 
teacher  and  the  pastor 
should  be  secured  at  regu- 
lar intervals.  As  a  rule, 
blanks  on  which  to  make 
reports  are  sent  to 
teachers  every  month ; 
pastors  are  usually  asked 
to    report    each   quarter. 

Form  27,  used  for 
school  reports  by  the 
Henry  Watson  Children's 
Aid  Society  of  Baltimore, 
is  a  very  good  one. 

Form  28  is  a  card 
sent  by  the  Children's 
Aid  Society  of  Pennsyl- 
vania to  pastors  when 
asking  for  quarterly  re- 
ports on  children. 

Forms  29  and  30  are 
etters  enclosed  by  the 
latter  society  with  the 
blanks  sent  to  teachers 
and  pastors.  Personal 
letters  are  substituted  for 
these  in  certain  cases,  and 
the  visitors  of  the  society  call  personally  on  the  pastors  and 
teachers  in  order  to  enlist  their  special  interest. 

Mimeographed  or  multigraphed  letters  are  less  expensive 
than  printed  letters  if  large  quantities  are  not  needed,  and  they 

95 


„a  /P.  a,db^^ 


Form  No.  28.     Pastor's  Report 

on  Placed-out  Child 

Children's  Aid  Society  of 

Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia 

(Size  3X  x  5X  inches) 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 
Oiiaaixcd   1882  locotpo r.i.d   1863 

CHILDREN'S  AID  SOCIETY 

OF  PENNSYLVANIA 
419-421    SOUTH    FIFTEENTH    STREET 


Philadelphia,  April    3C ,      jgi4 


Miss   Irene   Craiej 

School  Principal  or  Teacher 


Albert  Rvans  a  ward 

Child's  Name  in  Full 

of  the  Children's  Aid  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  is  now  living  in  your 
district,  and  is,  we  understand,  attending  your  school. 

This  Society  is  responsible  for  the  school  attendance  of  the  above- 
named  child  in  accordance  with  the  school  laws  of  the  State  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. Will  you,  therefore,  kindly  send  us  a  report  of  the  attendance, 
conduct  and  scholarship  of  <>ur  ward  upon  the  enclosed  blank?  A  self- 
addressed,  stamped  envelope  is-  furnished  herewith.  Additional  blanks 
and  envelopes  will  be  supplied  for  this  purpose  monthly. 

We  shall  be  glad  to  receive  suggestions  from  you  at  any  time  about 
any  matter  concerning  the  welfare  of  our  children.  If  this  child  does  not 
attend  your  school,  kindly  notify  us. 

Thanking  you  in  advance  for  your  co-operation  in  our  work,  I  am, 

Very  truly  yours, 

^....^.....-^l4^^^^ 

General  Secretary. 

Form  No.  29.     Form  Letter  to  Teacher  of  Placed-out  Child 
(Size  6  x  9>£  inches) 

96 


PLACING-OUT    AND    SUPERVISION 


CHILDREN'S   AID   SOCIETY 

OF  PENNSYLVANIA, 
4-I9-4-21  South  Fifteenth  Street 


Philadelphia,...- MUfibJLi 19  14 

Reverend  and  Dear  Sir: 

Clarenoe  Durgiji _ 


a  ward  of  the  Children's  Aid  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  is  now  living 

with  Mr.     .  John  Conrad _ _._ 

We  wish  to  know  if  this  child  receives  proper  religious  instruction 
and  training  both  at  home  and  at  Church,  and  eamesdy  request 
your  kindly  co-operation. 

May  I  ask  you  to  send  us  a..Q.n.ar.1?e rJLj,  report  of-M? _... 

attendance  at  Sunday  School  and  Church  ? 

Enclosed  find  stamped  envelope  for  reply,  which  we  hope  to 
receive  at  your  earliest  convenience. 

We  shall  be  glad  always  to  hear  from  you  concerning  the 
welfare  and  happiness  of  our  charges,  and  for  this  purpose  will 
send  you  a  blank  form  quarterly. 

Yours  very  truly. 


.  £-.'.J!&^*r3Z^^ 


General  Secretary. 

Form  No.  30.     Form  Letter  to  Pastor  of  Placed-out  Child 
(Size  6  x  o>2  inches) 

97 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


are  preferred  by  many  persons.  In  almost  all  towns  mimeograph- 
ing is  done.  Public  stenographers  often  do  it  or  can  supply 
information  about  others  who  do  it. 

Where  children  are  placed  out  in  families,  the  foster  parents 


279  Srrmout  fttrrrt.  Soston.  fflaoo 
Foster-mothers  should  see  that  this  form  is  properly 
filled  out  and  promptly  sent  to  the    Mission   whenever 
any  medical  or  dental  service  is  rendered. 

Medical  and  Dental  Report 

DateJj-a^..^,./?'? 
Name  of  child CLuu4<a*A~.  ..  >A*v-uZ?r 

Medical  Service. 

Nature  of  ailment ^*t-^*-^» 

Name  of  Dr. 


S.  oC  ■ ,cCo-i.jl* 


No.  of  visits  to  doctor's 

'  office,  with  dates  included 


No.  of  calls  by  the  doctor 
with  dates  included 


cr*~l 


Dental  Service. 

Name  of  Dentist 

No.  of  visits,  with  dates . 


Form  No.  31.     Medical  and  Dental  Report 

of  Service  to  Placed-out  Child 

(Size  3X  x  6  inches) 

should  be  instructed  to  notify  the  agency  immediately  in  case 
of  illness.  Form  31  is  a  good  one  for  securing  an  authentic  state- 
ment from  the  attending  physician  and  of  dental  work. 

Organizations  which  furnish  clothing  for  placed-out  chil- 
dren usually  keep  a  record  of  it.  Forms  32  and  33  show  two 
methods  of  keeping  these  records. 


PLACING-OUT    AND    SUPERVISION 
HEBREW   ORPHAN    ASYLUM — CLOTHING    RECORD 


Name 

fltt-trfd.  &r£jz^ 

Boarded  with    ^.J^JJA- 

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Remarks 

3  4-14 

/?/:• 

JAN. 

/ 

/ 

A 

/ 

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FEB. 

/ 

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* 

/ 

/ 

/ 

MAR. 

f 

/ 

APR. 

t 

/ 

/ 

MAY 

JUNE 

JULY 

AUG. 

SEPT 

/ 

_L 

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,2 

( 

/ 

JL 

OCT 

/ 

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( 

NOV. 

jL 

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DEC 

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JAN. 

/ 

1 

FEB. 

3 

/ 

MAR. 

/ 

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Af>R. 

/ 

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2 

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MAY- 

/ 

JUNE 

3 

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JULY 

AUG. 

2 

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SEPT. 

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JAN. 

FEB. 

MAR. 

APR. 

MAY 

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JULY 

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SEPT. 

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DEC. 

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1 1 

Form  No.  32.     Clothing  Record 

Hebrew  Orphan  Asylum,  New  York  City 

(Size  6  x  8X  inches) 

Number  for  identifying  shoes  sent  back   to  Asylum  for  repairs. 

99 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


Date     dk/-      0«         /*/j* 

CLOTHING  REQUISITION 


Child's  Name 


*><^uv^v-<t-rr. «?~«r*irri<: 

Caretaker's  Full  Name  2fo^^..a&aa4tteJ*~. /y^^O^ 

wCmu^*vy /2hrir?1r^r^r. 


/4- 

4«i 


/r«. 


Ship  via uCrtiC  OsviAJb. 


County 


Name  of  Exprtsi  Co. 


J^^Of^d^h^krf.. />k*>t^*«i: 

/»«/  0#rr  Cei/n// 


.'/...Or... 
Stale 


OUTFIT—BOY 

OUTFIT-GIRL 

ARTICLES 

QUANTITY 

PRICE 

TOTAL 

ARTICLES 

QUANTITY 

PRICE 

TOTAL 

Overcoats 

Wrap 

/ 

S.5V 

Coats 

Dresses 

Trousers 

Shirt  Waists 

a. 

.16- 

1.51 

Full  Suit 

Aprons 

Jumpers 

Skirts 

Sweaters 

Corset  Waists 

Overalls 

Drawers 

Suspenders 

Undervests 

x 

.  IS" 

.  3o 

Shirts 

Night  Gowns 

Undershirts 

Stockings 

Underdrawers 

Rubbers 

Nightshirts 

Shoes 

/ 

X'fV 

Stockings 

Hats 

Shoes 

Gloves 

Hats  and  Caps 

Ribbons 

Neckties 

Collars 

Collars 

Handkerchiefs 

Gloves 

Elastics 

Handkerchiefs 

Toolh  Brush 

Tooth  Brush 

Hair  Brush 

Hair  Brush 

Comb 

Comb 

<7-3o 

Order  Filled  by aC- Tjtls. (d 

Caretaker  Notified  by /ft- A rfX^cA,. 


Date. 
Date.. 


Form  No.  33.    Clothing  Requisition 

Children's  Aid  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia 

(Size  7x10  inches) 

IOO 


PLACING-OUT   AND   SUPERVISION 

Organizations  which  place  boys  and  girls  in  homes  at  wages 
should  require  employers  to  pay  the  wages  regularly.  Usually 
necessary  clothing  is  purchased  either  by  the  child  or  the  foster 
parent,  and  often  the  child  is  also  allowed  to  retain  a  specified 
sum  for  spending  money.  The  balance  should  be  sent  to  the 
institution  or  society  to  be  placed  in  bank  for  the  child. 

Forms  34  and  35  are  used  by  the  Girls  Parole  Department 
of  the  Massachusetts  Training  Schools  for  monthly  financial 
reports  of  girls  or  employers  to  the  department.  If  the  girl 
spends  her  own  money,  she  renders  to  the  society  a  detailed 
statement  of  her  expenditures  on  Form  34.  Her  employer  also 
makes  a  statement  on  page  1  of  Form  35,  showing  the  total 
wages  due  the  girl  and  the  amount  paid  to  her  in  cash,  and 
encloses  with  these  statements  a  remittance  for  the  balance, 
which  the  society  deposits  to  the  girl's  credit.  If  the  employer 
handles  the  girl's  money,  Form  34  is  not  used,  but  the  employer 
fills  in  both  pages  of  Form  35,  itemizing  the  expenditures  for 
the  month  on  page  2. 

Forms  36  and  37  are  used  by  the  Girls'  Department  of  the 
Glen  Mills  Schools,  Darling,  Pa.,  for  keeping  account  of  the 
wages  paid  to  and  expended  for  placed-out  girls.  Form  36  is 
the  girl's  receipt  for  money  expended  on  her  account  by  her 
employer,  and  on  the  reverse  side  is  an  itemized  statement  of 
the  expenditures.  Each  month  the  employer  sends  to  the  insti- 
tution the  girl's  wages  minus  the  amount  expended  for  her  as 
shown  by  this  statement.  The  school  then  returns  a  receipt  to 
the  employer  for  the  total  wages,  Form  37.  This  form  shows  the 
amount  received  in  cash  and  otherwise.  The  sum  opposite  the 
line  marked  "Statement"  corresponds  to  the  amount  shown 
by  the  girl's  receipt,  Form  36.  The  cash  received  by  the  school 
is  deposited  for  the  girl,  to  be  paid  over  to  her  when  she  passes 
from  its  supervision. 

Many  organizations  require  foster  parents  to  sign  a  receipt 
for  the  person  of  the  child  at  the  time  of  placement.    The  State 
Charities  Aid  Association  of  New  York  has  adopted  a  combina- 
tion agreement  and  receipt,  Form  38,  to  be  signed  by  the  foster 
(Text  continues  on  page  106.) 
101 


GIRLS  PAROLE  DEPARTMENT 

MASSACHUSETTS  TRAINING  SCHOOLS 


GIRL'S   MONTHLY   REPORT 

GIRL <j^^>c^ 


VISITOR     777*<rsvJ  (y^A*  ^vr^.^  _i 


BALANCE  FROM  PREVIOUS  STATEMENT    . 

Wages  Received  from^^-^-.  /,  19/rwjh,^ 


19/  s" 


/^_ 


TOTAL 

%-jL 

*    2.6 

DAK 

EXPENDITURES 

AMOUNT 

C/l^t<S\*C*+*f 

/o 

C*&^-*l^Cs£-       / 

/ 

;o 

C-s£^4Sl^t^t>&' 

S0 

/  z. 

3 

/J 

/7 

£&-**s\sC^i> 

/a 

£-€Zsi^    ^4-tu^t. 

0j- 

2.U- 

S 0 

so 

£  £ 

V 

TOTAL  AMOUNT  EXPENDED 

$ 

//i  .  s-r 

SENT  TO  OFFICE  FOR  BANK 

<?. 

Balance  on  hand 

J.  A  J?. 

TOTAL  (To  agree  with  total  above) 

$ 

/sT.   £A 

Signature  of  girl. 


jZut^c^e,     &*=*~d?_Q  s>/ 


APPROVED 


VlSIIOt 

Form  No.  34.    Girl's  Monthly  Report 
(Size  6  x  9>2  inches) 

102 


PLACING-OUT    AND    SUPERVISION 


III  ,2 

bJ  "  B       © 


<A«S       OS 

S3    s 


K 


I 
> 


Vfc  0 


!v 


•1 


1  * 


% 


i 

i 

if 

ii 

8  a 


103 


O    x 


5    w 
UJ  .S3 


SUEJGHTON    FARM, 
DARLING  P.  O, 
DEL  CO.,  PA. 


RECEIVED  from  the   Superintendent   of  the   Girls'  Department   of  the    Glen    Mills  Schools  the 
of  G^Z-^x.    tz~~J. *-i~  Dollars 


being  on  account  of  the  amount  received  for 


,'ht^      iiL+jt^n^ 


Form  No.  36A.    Girl's  Receipt  for  Money  Expended  for 

her  by  Employer  (Face) 

(Size  8)4  x  3J4  inches) 


9 

fc 

IX- 

h 

1 
*> 

s 

2P 

1 

1 

z 

.   Ill 

1-  n 

z  in 

5o 

IL 

0 

* 

Form  No.  36B.     (Reverse) 


G^J-    2. 


.  19t4" 


Sliiguton  Fa»m 

Darling  P.  0. 

Dm.  Co.,  Pa. 

<Zk**«. a^U. — — — 

£or_ .J&l<#^*f     &<X^<r-*^r->^ 

$ 6^..==.  .„Slot*m*nt 

£j~0—Z        <So*r>  av  dljequi 

77 

Form  No.  37.     Institution's  Receipt  to  Employer  of 

Placed-out  Girl 

(Size  8)4  x  $H  inches) 

104 


STATEMENT    OF    THE   TERMS    AND    CONDITIONS    UPON    WHICH    CHILDREN    ARE    PLACED 
IN  FAMILIES  BY  THE  STATE  CHARITIES  AID  ASSOCIATION. 


The  State  Charities  Aid  Association  places  a  destitute  child  in  a  family  for  the  purpose  of  providing  a 
permanent  home  for  it.  If  after  a  year  or  more  has  passed  the  child  is  entirely  satisfactory  to  the  family 
and  the  Association  is  fully  satisfied  as  to  the  character  of  the  home,  legal  adoption  is  permitted.  Legal  adop- 
tion gives  to  the  foster-parents  and  the  child  all  the  relations,  rights  and  privileges  that  exist  between 
parents  and  their  own  children.  Until  a  child  is  legally  adopted,  or  reaches  the  age  of  eighteen  years  if  there 
is  no  legal  adoption,  the  terms  and  conditions  between  the  State  Charities  Aid  Association  and  the  family  are 
as  follows: 

The  family  is  at  liberty  to  return  the  child  to  the  Association  if  the  child  is  found  to  be  unsatisfac- 
tory, or  if  for  any  reason  the  family  decides  that  it  ought  not  to  keep  the  child.  The  Association  places 
the  child  in  a  family  for  the  purpose  of  providing  it  a  home,  and  with  the  intention  and  full  expectation 
of  leaving  the  child  in  the  home,  but  as  unexpected  and  serious  changes  sometimes  occur,  it  reserves  the  right 
to  remove  the  child  previous  to  legal  adoption  if  at  any  time  the  circumstances  of  the  home  become  such  as 
in  its  judgment  are  injurious  to  the  physical,  mental  or  moral  well-being  of  the  child.  Unless  returned  by 
the  family  or  removed  by  the  Association  for  the  reasons  above  stated,  the  child  is  expected  to  remain  until 
he  reaches  the  age  of  eighteen  years.  The  family  receiving  the  child  is  required  to  treat  the  child  at  all 
times  kindly  and  as  a  member  of  the  family,  to  cause  the  child  to  attend  church  and  Sunday-school  with  rea- 
sonable regularity,  to  attend  a  public  or  other  school  until  she  has  reached  the  age  .of  16  years  and  for  at  least 
such  length  of  time  each  year  as  may  be  required  by  the  compulsory  educational  laws  of  the  State  of  New 
York-;  to  provide  suitable  and  sufficient  clothing  for  week  days  and  for  attendance  at  church  and  Sunday-school; 
and  to  provide  suitable  food  and  all  other  necessaries  in  health  and  in  sickness.  The  Association  is  authorized 
to  visit  the  child  at  any  time  by  any  authorized  Agent.  The  family  is  required  to  notify  promptly  the  Asso- 
ciation of  any  change  of  residence.  If  so  requested,  the  family  is  not  to  permit  the  child  to  correspond 
with  any  persons  except  with  the  permission  of  the  Association  or  through  its  office.  Under  no  circumstances 
may  the  family  give  the  child  into  the  custody  of  another  person  without  a  written  order  from  the  Association 
authorizing  them  so  to  do.  The  Association  is  in  no  case  liable  for  food,  clothing,  medicines,  medical  treat- 
ment, or  for  any  expense  whatsoever  incurred  by  the  family  on  behalf  of  the  child. 


.of  the  Town  of 


j  ifar..x.*£^...<^^...i&Xi^ 

jfat*fo^*fe..XoMtyof..../£^^ State  of.....  3J...H:\. 

having  read  carefully  the  above   statement  of  the  terms  and  conditions  upon  which  the^tate  Charities  Aid 

Association  places  children  in  families,  do  hereby  receive rthe  child. .  .C^-^k^T^r-. .  MCfSf*!&*!**Q. 

born  on  the. . . .  J^.fW day  of /fl.Qjj. in  the  year //T.  P.. into  my 

family  from  the  said  Association,  in  accordance  with  all  the  terms  and  conditions  above  stated,  to  which  I  agree. 

.jk&i^.&twL 


Husband's  N«mi 
Wife's  Name 


Witness: 

(^AJS»^. 

(/      (PtaiM  All  to)  * 


Form  No.  38.  Agreement  with  Foster  Parents 

State  Charities  Aid  Association,  New  York  City 

(Size  8>£  x  1 1  inches) 

105 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

parents  in  the  presence  of  two  witnesses  at  the  time  of  receiving 
a  child.  By  this  agreement  the  society  reserves  the  right  to 
remove  a  child  from  a  foster  home  at  any  time  during  minority, 
unless  the  child  has  been  legally  adopted. 

AGENT'S   REPORTS  OF  PLACEMENTS  AND  VISITS 

A  visitor  who  places  out  and  supervises  children  should  be 
provided  with  sheets  on  which  to  report  all  transactions.  These 
reports  should  be  turned  in  at  least  once  a  week  to  the  office  of 
the  institution  or  society,  and  the  items  should  be  entered  upon 
the  cards  of  the  children  and  foster  parents.  The  reports  should 
then  be  filed  in  a  special  binder*  or  in  folders. 

The  Kentucky  Children's  Home  Society  has  very  simple 
forms  for  this  purpose  which  would  doubtless  be  found  adequate 
for  institutions  doing  a  limited  amount  of  placing-out  work  and 
for  many  societies.  Forms  39  and  40  correspond,  with  some 
slight  modifications,  to  those  used  by  that  society. 

Keeping  track  of  placements  and  replacements  is  more 
complicated  where  money  payments  are  involved;  as,  for  example, 
when  an  agency  collects  funds  from  parents  with  which  to  pay 
the  board  of  children,  or  when  it  receives  public  charges  and 
collects  money  for  their  support  from  public  officials.  In  such 
cases  memoranda  of  all  placements  and  transfers  must  be 
promptly  furnished  to  the  bookkeeper  as  well  as  to  the  person 
who  keeps  the  records  of  children  and  foster  parents. 

In  these  cases,  especially  if  the  organization  is  large  and 
its  work  is  divided  into  several  departments,  it  is  often  more 
convenient  to  use  one  or  more  separate  slips  for  each  child  in 
reporting  placements  and  removals.  The  information  needed 
on  these  blanks  will  depend  very  largely  upon  the  office  organiza- 
tion of  the  society.  Forms  41  and  42  are  used  by  the  Child- 
ren's Aid  Society  of  Pennsylvania.  These  reports,  sent  in  by 
the  visitors,  pass  from  the  bookkeeper  to  the  various  record 
clerks,  and  after  all  necessary  entries  have  been  made  on  the 
different  office  records,  they  are  filed  in  the  children's  folders. 

*  Board  covers  with  a  device  for  holding  papers  in  place.  They  come  in 
various  sizes  and  may  be  obtained  from  stationers  or  from  firms  which  handle 
filing  supplies. 

106 


PLACING-OUT    AND    SUPERVISION 

WEEK  ENDING    t£*y4  2  S~,  /?/3 
<%?.  (P?  s&^mU AGENT 


Date 
&6  2.0 

Name  of  Child 

NEW  CHILDREN  RECEIVED 
Reoeived  from 

0?  <^Z>i+sX^,(?^&c^cth. 

Address 
Or. 

Date 
CLU.zz 

I  2  S~ 

Name  of  Child 

CHILDREN  RETURNED 

Received  from 

Address 

Date 

Name  of  Child 

NEW  CHILDREN  PLACED 
Plaoed  with 

Address 

Date 

Name  of  Child 

CHILDREN  REPLACED 
Plaoed  with 

Address 

Form  No.  39.    Agent's  Report  of  Children  Placed  and  Replaced 

Form,  slightly  modified,  of  Kentucky  Children's  Home  Society,  Louisville 

(Size  8K  x  1 1  inches) 

107 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


WEEK  ENDING  G&cJ..  2  r,J-<?/3 
(3   (T  Z!L-~U,   AGENT 


Date 
..    2.Z 

*  23 
"  Z3 
■'    Z  + 

n    *  + 


Name  of  Child 


f?l<£,  eb^C^t  s/&l<X~<4. 


/Ac^^Cc. 


Name  of  Foster  Parent 


??Uc~f 


Form  No.  40.    Agent's  Report  of  Children  Visited" 

Form,  slightly  modified,  of  Kentucky  Children's  Home  Society,  Louisville 

(Size  8K  x  1 1  inches) 

0  Details  of  visits  should  be  reported  on  individual  sheets.    See  Form  No.  2G. 

108 


CHILDREN'S  AID  SOCIETY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 

419-421  South  Fifteenth  Street.  Philadelphia 


CHILD  PLACED,  date &...., *...«jo™ 

Month  Day  Vear 

Child .Uargftrot  Cole Age. l.If .  .Color.  ft, . .  .Region. .  Pr.Qt. 

Name  in  full 

(  Husband J?)Xk  .  fiampfceU. Religion. .  PrSl 

I  Name  in  full 

Caretaker  J 

I  wife Mary . Campbell Religion. .  Prot 

Name  in  full 
Post  Office .VA9t.Cb.Q9.ter Rural  Route  No...  2 

County Chester state Pa 

Nearest  R.  R.  Station Dis.  and  Dir.  of  home  from  Station 

Name  of  Express  Co.  at  Station . .  A4.3&8 ...  On  what  line  of  R.  R. . . .  P. .  R .  R. 

School  Teacher's  Name ¥.48.8. .  J&^SWRCft  .Elafcft 

Post  Office  . .  Jfeflt...Cftej9tar. County. . .  Cij.Q9.teX State. . .  Pa. 

Pastor's  Name ReV..  .S..JL..  Sill. Church M.F. 

Post  office. . . .W.ee.t. .Cheat e.r. . . .county. . . . Chester state. . . Pa. 


TERMS  ON  WHICH  CHILD  IS  PLACED 
SEE  OTHER  SIDE 

Form  No.  41  a.     Agent's  Report  of  Placement  of  Child  (Face) 

(Size  5K  x  8K  inches) 

109 


Full  name  of  child M&r£?Xf  £  .P.&4 

TERMS  ON  WHICH  CHILD  IS  PLACED 

BOARDING.    Rate  per  week  for  Board,  $.2*50. 

Clothing  to  be  purchased  by .SftQiQly Paid  by...&QC.i&ty. 

Medical  care  paid  by 5.QC X$frf 

Are  checks  payable  to  Husband  or  Wife  ? .VA  *  ft 

FREE1.     State  length  of  time  on  trial  and  terms  with  reference  to  school,  church,  clothes^  medical 

care,  future  wages, etc 5J3 ©. Q ial. . f  o od .  and .  care,  to  .be 

. .  giy.en  .child. .-  .c.o.ny.aleacing .  Iran.  long,  .illness.* 


WAGES.    State  amount  of  wage9  and  terms  with  reference  to  school,  church,  clothes,  medical 
care,  future  wages,  etc. 


Remarks : 


pm &,M*™/^... 

Agent  C.  A. 


(Signed). 

Carettker. 

Form  No.  41  b.     (Reverse) 
1 10 


PLACING-OUT    AND    SUPERVISION 

CHILDREN'S  AID  SOCIETY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 

421  South  Fifteenth  Street,  Philadelphia 


CHILD  REMOVED,  date     i    -    i'B    -    dl* 

Month  Day  Year 

Child Margaret  Cole Age..~14.-.Color....W Religion Prot. 

Name  in  full 
'Husband John    Campbell Religion Prot. 


\Wife Mary   Campbell Religion Prot. 

ANY  BALANCE  DUE  ON  ACCOUNT  IS  PAYABLE  TO 
Mr s  .  Mary  C ampb ell 


Name  in  full 

Post  Office West  Chester R.  F.  D.  No 2__ 

County Che  s  t  e  r State Pa 

Was  Child  Boarding  or  Free? B If  Boarding,  state  rate  per  week....$2 .  50.... 

Clothing  bills  to  be  paid  by Society _.. 

Medical  bills  to  be  paid  by Society... 

CAUSE  OF  REMOVAL.     What  complaint,  if  any,  about  child,  etc... 

To  "be  placed  in  a  free  home 

Does  Caretaker  wish  another  child  from  C.  A.  S.?    If  so,  state  terms  and  preferences — 
Child  under  3  yrs  .   to  hoard.     $2.50  wk 

Should  another  child  be  tried  in  this  home? ...Yes 


(Signed) P .  B  .  Brown 

Agent  of  C.  A.  S. 


Form  42.    Agent's  Report  of  Removal  of  Child 

(Size  5>£  x8}4  inches) 

I  I  I 


CHAPTER  V 

SOME  RULES  TO  BE  OBSERVED  IN  RECORD 
MAKING 

THE  way  in  which  the  details  of  visits,  interviews,  or 
examinations  are  written  up,  and  the  care  with  which 
records  are  kept  up  to  date,  have  everything  to  do  with 
their  permanent  value.  A  visitor  may  make  thorough  investi- 
gations and  children  may  be  carefully  supervised,  but  if  the 
facts  learned  are  not  recorded  definitely  and  accurately  much  of 
their  worth  is  lost. 

To  gain  skill  in  recording  observations  and  interviews 
requires  study  and  practice,  but  there  are  a  few  simple,  funda- 
mental rules  which  anyone  can  understand  and  use,  and  which, 
if  followed,  would  do  much  to  eliminate  some  of  the  worst  prac- 
tices in  record  making. 

In  discussing  these  rules,  Figure  I,  page  1 13,  an  actual  record 
of  a  juvenile  court  case,  will  be  used  to  illustrate  certain  points. 

Rule  1. — The  observations  of  an  investigator  and  the 
statements  of  persons  interviewed  should  be  recorded  as  soon 
as  possible  after  the  visit  or  interview. 

This  should  be  done  to  insure  accuracy  and  to  guard  against 
forgetting  important  points.  It  is  not  safe  to  depend  upon 
remembering  circumstances  and  conversations  correctly  after 
a  lapse  of  time. 

Rule  2. — Care  should  be  taken  to  have  the  proper  names 
in  records  correctly  spelled. 

The  reasons  for  this  are  apparent.  Many  instances  could 
be  cited  where  carelessness  in  this  matter  has  caused  unnec- 
essary hardship  or  inconvenience. 

On  the  record  blank  used  by  the  Children's  Bureau  of 
the  Department  of  Public  Charities,  New  York  City,  a  caution 

1 12 


RULES    FOR    RECORD    MAKING 


INVESTIGATION 


& 


Residing  at / S~ 0  ty.TM^sdzjA- 


alias 

with ^^Z-t^-**-^ 


191 


Paroled  until  hearing  t 


M 


Date  of  Month 


Father      Mother 


Father     Mother 


FAMILY 

Father's  nam 

Father's  occupation  ■^H^^Aj^JK^^Z^^'I' 

Mother's  name 

Mother's  occupation 

Brothers  and  sisters 

Housing  conditions  (a£-c<-<&- 

Financial  coudition  (income,  etc.)   iQ-tx-~dL 

Parental  Relationship 

Mentality 

Physical  Condition     e4r?-r?C-. 

NEIGHBORHOOD  INFLUENCES 
Associates     & ■&•  «L 

SCHOOL  Grade 

Attendance 

Conduct 

EMPLOYED  BY 

Position 

If  unemployed,  why 

CHURCH,  SUNDAY  SCHOOL,  CLUBS,  ETC. 


Y*~- 


OFFENSE  Plea 

Co  Defendants    -C2f  ,  £%    sJVtusi^/U^. 
Complainant 


PREVIOUS  COURT  RECORD 


CHARITY  RECORD 


HABITS- 

Uses  tobacco  Disobeys  parents  /Zo^ 

Spends  evenings  how     &£■  yf^o-t^^e— 
Other  habits 


SOURCES  OF  INFORMATION 


DISPOSITION  OF  CASE 


(.Additional  remaris  may  be  put  on  other  side) 
Investigated  by . 
Probation  Officer £*...&....(&L£ZyL. 


Reported.  .-.Jk***>..,..<2.J., ~191-<2. 


Figure  I.     Illustration  Showing  Some  Common  Faults  in  Record 
Making 


113 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

to  this  effect  is  printed  directly  under  the  line  on  which  the 
child's  name  is  entered,  thus: 


Surname 

Use  care  in  spelling 

Rule  3. — All  records  should  be  carefully  dated,  and  if  a 
record  is  continuous,  each  new  entry  should  be  dated. 

Although  the  importance  of  dating  records  seems  obvious, 
carelessness  in  this  respect  is  so  common  that  the  point  can 
hardly  be  over-emphasized.  Many  records  are  found  in  which 
dates  are  omitted  altogether;  in  other  cases  the  day  and  month 
may  be  given  and  the  year  omitted,  or  the  month  and  year  may 
be  entered  and  the  day  of  the  month  omitted.  When  exact  dates 
are  known,  they  should  be  given  in  full.  If  the  day  of  the  month 
can  not  be  learned,  the  date  may  be  written  thus:  Jan.       ,  191 3. 

In  many  records  all  of  the  information  applies  to  a  single 
date,  which  should  appear  in  a  prominent  place.  Form  26  (page 
91)  is  an  example.  In  a  running  comment,  the  left-hand  margin 
of  the  page  is  usually  reserved  for  dates,  as  is  shown  on  the 
"Story  Sheet"  of  Form  8  (page  37).  In  family  history  schedules, 
which  provide  for  continuous  records  on  certain  points,  care  must 
be  used  in  dating  entries.  An  examination  of  Form  8  will  show 
how  subsequent  items  are  treated.  On  the  front  page  of  this 
form,  at  the  top,  is  a  space  for  the  "  Date  of  1st  Investigation," 
which  applies  to  all  entries  not  otherwise  dated.  Where  points 
are  subject  to  change,  such  as  "Addresses,"  "Employers," 
"Institution  Record,"  a  special  space  for  the  date  is  provided, 
and  each  entry  should  show  the  date  for  which  the  information 
holds.  By  this  method,  information  previous  and  subsequent 
to  the  first  investigation  may  be  included.  Under  "Social  State 
of  Parents,"  special  spaces  are  provided  for  dates  of  death  and 
marriage,  which  ordinarily  would  not  correspond  to  the  date 
of  the  first  investigation. 

Rule  4.— In  recording  an  interview,  always  give  the 
date,  the  full  name  and  address  of  the  person  interviewed,  his 
relationship  or  connection  with  the  child  or  family,  important 
details  of  the  interview,  and  the  name  of  the  visitor. 

114 


RULES    FOR    RECORD    MAKING 

To  illustrate  how  careful  observance  of  these  points  con- 
tributes to  the  value  of  a  record,  contrast  the  following  reports 
of  the  same  interview: 

Record  No.  i — Wrong  way 
Jan.  15 — Saw  Mr.  Brown  who  said  that  Mrs.  Smith  is  a  good 
worker  but  has  a  bad  reputation. 
Record  No.  2 — Right  way 
Jan.  15,  1912 — Interview  with  Mr.  J.  S.  Brown,  Manager  of 
the  Star  Laundry,  47  West    10th  Street,  former 
employer  of  Mrs.  Smith. 

Mr.  Brown  stated  that  Mrs.  Smith  is  an  excellent 
laundress,  earns  $35  a  month,  but  that  she  is  a 
heavy  drinker  and  has  had  delirium  tremens.  They 
were  obliged  to  let  her  go  on  this  account.  Said 
that  he  had  heard  she  is  living  with  a  man  to  whom 
she  is  not  married. 

(E.  C.  Boyd,  Visitor) 

Why  is  Record  No.  1  so  much  less  convincing  than  Record 
No.  2? 

First,"  Record  No.  1  does  not  tell  in  what  year  the  interview 
took  place. 

Second,  it  does  not  show  what  particular  Mr.  Brown  is 
referred  to,  or  where  he  lives. 

Third,  it  does  not  tell  how  Mr.  Brown  and  Mrs.  Smith 
have  been  associated. 

Fourth,  it  does  not  state  what  kind  of  work  Mrs.  Smith 
does  or  in  what  respect  her  reputation  is  bad. 

Finally,  it  does  not  tell  who  had  the  interview  with  Mr. 
Brown. 

The  importance  of  giving  full  dates  in  records  has  already 
been  emphasized. 

If  the  full  name  and  address  of  the  person  interviewed  are 
not  given  difficulties  often  arise.  It  may,  for  example,  be  nec- 
essary to  consult  him  again,  either  to  have  the  statement  cor- 
roborated, or  to  secure  additional  information.  If  his  initials 
and  address  are  not  known,  it  may  be  difficult  and  perhaps 
impossible  to  locate  him. 

115 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

Again,  in  order  to  be  able  to  judge  the  value  of  a  statement, 
something  must  be  known  of  the  standing  of  the  person  who 
makes  it.  One  of  the  first  things  which  a  thoughtful  worker 
asks  in  reading  a  record  is,  Who  furnished  the  information?  Is  he 
reliable?  Is  he  likely  to  be  prejudiced?  Has  he  had  full  oppor- 
tunity to  know  whereof  he  speaks?  Is  he  qualified  to  give  infor- 
mation on  those  particular  points? 

The  fact  that  Mr.  Brown  was  a  former  employer  gives 
more  weight  to  his  testimony  about  the  ability  of  Mrs.  Smith 
as  a  worker  than  if  he  had  been  the  grocer  with  whom  she  traded. 
In  his  relationship  of  employer  he  might  also  be  better  qualified 
to  speak  of  her  habits  than  if  he  were  a  pastor  who  saw  her  only 
occasionally,  and  then,  perhaps,  at  her  best.  It  is  essential, 
therefore,  that  the  record  of  every  interview  should  state  the 
relationship  or  connection  of  the  person  interviewed — whether 
he  was  a  physician,  relative,  neighbor,  employer,  and  so  on. 

In  the  first  record  the  details  of  the  interview  with  Mr. 
Brown  are  not  given.  What  we  really  have  is  a  summary  of  the 
visitor's  impressions  based  upon  what  Mr.  Brown  told  her. 
While  we  may  agree,  after  reading  the  second  record,  that  the 
visitor  was  justified  in  believing  that  Mrs.  Smith  had  a  bad 
reputation,  yet  one  has  no  right  to  take  liberties  in  reporting 
interviews.  What  the  person  actually  said  should  be  stated, 
never  deductions  based  upon  what  was  said. 

All  interviews  should  bear  the  name  of  the  visitor  for  the 
same  reason  that  they  should  show  who  furnished  the  informa- 
tion. Employes  often  change,  and  an  agency  has  no  means  of 
knowing  who  handled  a  case  if  the  visitor's  name  is  omitted. 

In  some  organizations  where  stenographers  write  records 
from  the  visitors'  dictation,  visitors  are  required  to  read  their 
records  before  they  are  filed  and  to  initial  the  entries  in  ink. 
This  is  done  in  order  that  any  inaccuracies  in  transcribing  may 
be  detected  and  corrected. 

Rule  5. — The  use  of  terms  which  express  judgments, 
such  as  "good,"  "bad,"  "doing  well,"  etc.,  and  of  indefinite 
terms  such  as  "incorrigible,"  "immoral,"  "laborer,"  etc.,  should 
be  avoided. 

116 


RULES    FOR    RECORD    MAKING 

If  definite  details  are  not  given,  a  person  reading  a  record 
can  not  get  a  clear  picture  of  conditions,  and  has  no  way  of 
knowing  whether  a  judgment  is  well  founded,  or  of  forming  an 
independent  opinion. 

Take  Barney's  record,  page  113.  What  were  the  condi- 
tions in  the  boy's  home  which  led  the  probation  officer  to 
characterize  the  housing  conditions  as  "bad"?  Was  the  home 
filthy  and  disorderly,  or  was  the  house  clean  but  the  plumbing 
so  out  of  repair  that  the  health  of  the  family  was  in  danger? 
Either  condition  is  "bad,"  but  in  one  case  the  fault  would  rest 
with  the  family,  in  the  other  with  the  landlord,  and  the  procedure 
necessary  to  remedy  it  would  be  quite  different  in  the  two  cases. 
Instead  of  saying  that  the  housing  conditions  are  "bad,"  the 
record  should  state  in  what  respects  they  are  bad. 

In  the  same  way,  what  is  meant  by  financial  condition 
"bad"?  Was  the  father  earning  a  living  wage  and  spending  it 
for  drink,  or  did  he  earn  less  than  was  necessary  to  support  his 
family,  either  because  he  was  inefficient  or  untrained,  or  be- 
cause work  was  slack?  The  treatment  necessary  in  the  first  case 
would  differ  radically  from  that  needed  for  an  inefficient  man  or 
for  an  efficient  man  who  could  not  obtain  employment.  Instead 
of  saying  financial  condition  "bad,"  a  full  statement  of  the 
actual  income  of  the  different  members  of  the  family  should  be 
given,  together  with  a  statement  as  to  whether  the  employment 
is  regular  or  not,  and  if  not,  whether  the  irregularity  is  due  to 
slackness  of  work  or  to  some  other  cause,  such  as  sickness,  bad 
habits,  and  so  forth. 

It  is  very  important  that  the  opinion  of  the  person  who 
makes  an  investigation  be  given.  The  judgment  of  a  keen  inves- 
tigator is  valuable  and  should  not  be  ignored,  but  such  opinions 
should  always  be  labeled  "impressions  of  the  visitor,"  and 
should  not  go  into  a  record  as  statements  of  fact. 

Special  attention  should  be  called  to  the  proper  method  of 
recording  occupations.  Both  the  exact  kind  of  work  done  and 
the  industry  should  be  stated. 

In  Barney's  record,  what  is  meant  by  father's  occupation, 
"handle  grinder"?     Does  the  man  have  a  business  of  his  own,  or 

117 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS    - 

does  he  work  as  employe  in  a  tool  factory,  a  gun  shop,  or  other 
establishment? 

The  following  suggestions  in  regard  to  reporting  occupa- 
tions are  quoted  from  Instructions  to  Enumerators  published  by 
the  United  States  Census  Bureau:* 

Avoid  general  or  indefinite  terms. — Give  the  occupation  and  in- 
dustry precisely.  For  example,  return  a  worker  in  a  coal  mine  as  a  miner 
— coal  mine,  laborer — coal  mine,  driver — coal  mine,  etc.,  as  the  case 
may  be. 

The  term  "laborer"  should  be  avoided.  .  .  .  Employees  in  factories 
or  mills,  for  example,  usually  have  some  definite  designation,  as  weaver, 
roller,  puddler,  etc.  Where  the  term  "laborer"  is  used,  be  careful  to  define 
accurately  the  industry.  .  .  . 

The  following  examples  .  .  .  will  illustrate  the  method  of  returning 
some  of  the  common  occupations  and  industries.  .  .  . 


(Occupation) 

( Industry) 

farm  laborer 

working  out 

farm  laborer 

home  farm 

laborer 

odd  jobs 

laborer 

street  work 

laborer 

railroad 

engineer 

locomotive 

engineer 

lumber  mill 

fireman 

lumber  mill 

fireman 

fire  department 

carpenter 

house 

carpenter 

car  factory 

carpenter 

ship  yard 

cook 

hotel 

servant 

private  family 

foreman 

cotton  mill 

weaver 

cotton  mill 

doffer 

cotton  mill 

etc. 

etc. 

Rule  6. — If   information   has   not   been   secured  on   any 
point,  state  why  the  facts  are  not  given. 

*  Instructions  to  Enumerators,  pp.  35-36.     United  States  Bureau  of  the 
Census,  1910.     The  list  here  given  is  incomplete  and  the  order  slightly  changed. 

Il8 


RULES    FOR    RECORD    MAKING 

When  a  point  is  left  without  comment,  a  person  reading 
the  record  has  no  way  of  knowing  why  it  was  not  answered, — 
whether  unsuccessful  efforts  were  made  to  get  the  facts  or  whether 
no  effort  at  all  was  made. 

To  illustrate,  the  juvenile  court  record  on  page  113  shows 
that  Barney  was  eight  years  old,  but  there  is  no  mention  of 
school  in  his  record.  This  leaves  the  reader  wondering  whether 
he  never  went  to  school,  whether  the  probation  officer  did  not 
inquire  about  him  at  the  school,  or  whether  information  was 
secured  but  not  recorded.  If  he  never  attended  school,  this  is 
a  very  important  point  for  the  judge  to  know.  If  he  was  en- 
rolled, his  school  record  should  be  given. 

Rule  7. — Under  points  relating  to  relatives,  references, 
membership  in  organizations,  and  so  on,  the  full  name  and 
address  of  the  person  or  organization  should  be  given. 

This  is  important  in  order  that  these  persons  or  organiza- 
tions may  be  utilized  as  sources  of  information. 

In  Barney's  record,  under  the  section  "Church,  Sunday 
School,  Clubs,  etc.,"  we  find  simply  the  answer  "  Yes."  This  tells 
nothing.  It  is  neither  descriptive  of  his  activities  nor  does  it 
tell  with  what  organizations  he  is  connected  in  case  anyone 
should  wish  to  consult  them. 

Rule  8. — Points  requiring  special  or  expert  knowledge 
to  determine  should  be  answered  in  a  way  that  will  leave  no 
doubt  as  to  the  source  of  the  information. 

This  is  necessary  in  order  that  the  value  of  the  informa- 
tion may  be  appraised. 

On  the  record  in  question,  for  example,  we  find  "  Physical 
condition  good."  How  was  this  ascertained?  By  medical 
examination,  from  the  statement  of  a  relative,  or  by  the  observa- 
tion of  the  probation  officer? 

If  the  child  was  examined  by  a  physician,  his  report 
should  accompany  the  record  and  the  reply  on  the  blank  should 
be  "See  physician's  report  attached."  If  he  was  not  examined 
and  the  statement  of  the  mother  was  taken,  the  reply  should  be 
"Said  to  be  good  by  mother."  If  the  visitor  gives  his  own  judg- 
ment, the  reply  should  read,  "Appears  to  be  good." 
119 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

Rule  9. — A  detailed  account  of  investigations  should  be 
written  up  in  addition  to  answering  the  questions  covered  by 
the  record  form. 

The  practice  of  the  best  child-caring  agencies  is  to  divide 
records  of  investigations  into  two  parts,  a  "face  card"  and  a 
"story  sheet." 

The  first  provides  for  an  outline  of  essential  facts  about  a 
family,  which  it  is  desirable  to  have  in  convenient  form  for  pur- 
poses of  reference.  For  the  most  part,  there  is  a  tendency  to 
limit  the  points  on  the  face  card  to  items  which  are  not  variable 
and  which  permit  of  definite  answers.  Points  which  are  not 
always  constant  and  which  involve  the  expression  of  personal 
opinion,  such  as  habits,  reputation,  home  conditions,  and  so  on, 
are  entered  on  the  story  sheet. 

It  is  not  thought  advisable  to  include  on  the  face  card 
expressions  of  opinion  or  descriptions  of  conditions  which  may 
change  from  day  to  day,  because  it  has  been  found  that  there 
is  a  tendency  on  the  part  of  persons  reviewing  records  to  act 
upon  the  abbreviated  information  contained  on  the  card,  instead 
of  reading  the  entire  record  to  learn  the  full  facts.  Besides, 
it  is  not  possible  within  the  limits  of  a  single  card  to  record  con- 
ditions that  require  detailed  description. 

The  story  sheet  is  really  the  most  important  part  of  the 
record.  It  should  give  essential  details  of  visits  and  interviews, 
impressions  and  suggestions  of  the  visitor,  and  other  important 
matters  noted  both  at  the  time  of  the  initial  investigation  and 
subsequently. 

Too  many  workers  feel  that  they  have  discharged  their 
full  duty,  so  far  as  records  are  concerned,  if  they  "fill  out"  a 
blank.  For  this  reason  some  agencies  have  gone  so  far  as  to 
abandon  the  face  card  entirely  and  to  write  up  each  history 
according  to  a  regular  outline.  The  face  card,  however,  is  a 
great  convenience;  in  fact,  it  is  almost  indispensable  for  refer- 
ence purposes;  and  if  its  limitations  are  kept  in  mind,  it  is  a 
help  rather  than  a  hindrance. 

Rule    10. — Records    of   all    children    in    care    should    be 
1 20 


RULES    FOR    RECORD    MAKING 

reviewed  periodically  and  a  summary  of  important  developments 
in  each  case  should  be  made. 

For  the  sake  of  clearness,  as  a  matter  of  economy  of  time 
in  referring  to  cases,  and  especially  for  the  stimulus  which  always 
comes  from  a  review  of  work,  it  is  desirable  that  there  should  be 
some  systematic  effort  to  summarize  the  progress  of  every  child 
and  family  at  definite  intervals,  and  to  enter  this  summary  as 
a  part  of  the  permanent  record. 

Sometimes  when  a  child  has  been  under  the  care  of  an 
organization  for  several  years,  his  record  becomes  voluminous, 
especially  if  careful  follow-up  work  has  been  done.  The  entries 
are  necessarily  made  in  chronological  order,  which  means  that 
items  which  are  closely  related  to  each  other  in  subject  matter 
are  often  widely  separated  in  the  record.  Frequently  circum- 
stances arise  which  make  it  necessary  to  review  a  record  quickly, 
and  if  the  record  is  long  it  may  be  difficult  for  a  visitor  who  is 
not  familiar  with  the  case  to  get  a  clear  idea  of  what  really  has 
happened  and  what  is  the  exact  status  of  affairs. 

It  has  been  suggested  by  one  worker  that  at  the  conclusion 
of  the  first  investigation  the  visitor  should  state  his  opinion  of 
the  situation  and  make  recommendations;  and  that  at  least 
once  a  year  afterwards,  while  the  child  remains  under  the  care 
of  the  society,  a  summary  of  the  year's  developments  should 
be  made, — this  summary  to  state 

i.     Whether  the  prognosis  was  correct. 

2.  Whether  the  treatment   recommended  was  working. 

3.  Whether  the  home  conditions  still  hold. 

4.  Recommendations  for  the  coming  year. 

The  writer  knows  of  no  children's  agencies  which  make 
written  summaries  of  their  work,  although  some  review  their 
cases  periodically.  The  Boston  Children's  Mission,  for  example, 
says  in  a  recent  report: 

An  important  aid  to  efficiency  is  a  quarterly  conference  in  relation 
to  every  child  in  charge.  This  is  held  by  the  General  Secretary,  the  two 
members  of  the  Department  of  Advice  and  Assistance,  one  or  the  other 
of  whom  is  familiar  with  the  original  conditions  surrounding  each  child, 
the  head  of  the  Placing-out  Department,  and  the  special  visitor  to  the 

121 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

child  considered.  Each  child  is  taken  up  at  this  conference  as  if  it  were 
a  new  problem,  and  the  future  policy  is  determined.  The  advantages  of 
such  conferences  are  obvious.* 

It  would  be  a  great  help  if,  when  cases  are  reviewed, 
stenographic  reports  could  be  taken  of  all  important  develop- 
ments and  incorporated  in  the  children's  records.  Summaries 
of  this  kind  should  be  entered  in  such  a  way  that  they  may  be 
readily  distinguishable  from  other  parts  of  the  record.    This  can 


VISITOR'S  CAHD 


Date:        jU^t,    /0s  V*  '  */■ 


Hame:     PT'&^-e, 


Address:     J2,  <P   ^Lc-«^i-£-*-^c-£- 

Name  of  child:      c^u^-^u^tft    (2<n^JcZ^ 

Relation:     ^^-c^Cca^ 


Form  No.  43.    Visitor's  Card 

Home  for  the  Friendless,  Pittsburgh 

(Size  3x5  inches) 

best  be  accomplished  by  using  red  ink  for  the  summaries.  If 
records  are  typewritten,  reversible  red  and  black  typewriter 
ribbons  may  be  had  which  make  it  possible  to  change  instantly 
from  one  color  to  the  other. 

Rule  11. — Records  should  be  kept  up  to  date. 

Many  institutions  are  lax  in  recording  changes  of  addresses 
of  parents  and  relatives  and  other  subsequent  events  of  impor- 
tance. The  Home  for  the  Friendless  in  Pittsburgh,  Pennsyl- 
vania, has  adopted  a  simple  device  for  securing  records  of  new 

*  Boston  Children's  Mission.     Annual  Report,  1913,  p.  14. 
122 


RULES    FOR    RECORD    MAKING 

addresses  and  discovering  what  attention  is  paid  to  the  children 
by  their  relatives.  Every  person  who  visits  a  child  is  asked 
to  fill  out  a  card  giving  his  name,  address,  and  relationship  to 
the  child.  The  information  on  these  cards  (Form  43)  is  later 
transferred  to  the  family  history  records.  Agents  should  also 
be  instructed  to  report  changes  of  addresses  which  come  to  their 
attention  when  they  are  visiting  or  inquiring  about  children. 
Very  serious  difficulties  may  arise  from  the  failure  of 
child-caring  organizations  to  record  details  of  the  adoption  or 
the  death  of  children  in  their  care. 

Date  of  Adoption 19 

Child  died x 

Age  at  death yrs. mo days 

Cause  of  death 

Place  of  death 

Duration  of  sickness 

Attending  physician 

Address 

Name  of  Undertaker ._ 

Address 

Place  of  Burial 


Form  No.  44.    Section  of  Placement  Statement 

relating  to  adoption,  death,  and  burial 

Michigan  Children's  Home  Society,  St.  Joseph 

The  points  on  Form  44,  a  section  of  the  Placement  State- 
ment of  the  Michigan  Children's  Home  Society,  including  the 
123 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

date  of  adoption,  copy  of  adoption  order,  and  full  particulars  in 
regard  to  death,  the  names  of  the  attending  physician  and  under- 
taker, and  the  place  of  burial,  are  excellent.  To  avoid  multiply- 
ing blanks,  these  points  could  be  incorporated  in  Form  9  (page 

43)- 

The  superintendent  of  the  Iowa  Children's  Home  Society 
emphasizes  the  importance  of  exact  information  in  regard  to 
records  of  death.  He  states  that  the  burial  certificate  has 
served  him  twice  in  important  cases:  once  when  a  judge  doubted 
the  death  of  a  child  in  a  foster  home  and  once  when  a  mother 
needed  positive  proof  of  the  death  of  her  child  in  order  to  col- 
lect insurance. 


124 


CHAPTER  VI 
THE  USE  OF  RECORDS  IN  PREVENTIVE  WORK 

TO  care  for  dependent,  delinquent,  or  defective  children 
is  only  one  part  of  the  obligation  of  child-helping  agencies; 
to  prevent  dependency,  delinquency,  and  defectiveness 
is  the  other.  To  discharge  this  latter  obligation  practical  research 
is  necessary. 

No  belief  could  be  more  shortsighted  than  that  expressed 
by  those  workers  who  say,  "  We  do  not  see  that  research  is  going 
to  help  us  in  caring  for  children;  we  know  what  is  needed  if 
we  just  had  the  money  to  provide  it." 

The  mistake  these  workers  make  is  not  in  emphasizing  the 
importance  of  care  for  children  in  need — this  is  always  a  matter 
for  first  consideration — but  in  failing  to  recognize  that  every 
dependent,  delinquent,  and  defective  child  has  a  lesson  to  teach 
in  the  causes  of  human  misfortune,*  and  that  the  child-caring 
workers  who  do  not  learn  these  lessons  and  use  them  to  save 
other  children  from  needing  their  help  are  doing  only  half  their 
duty. 

What  would  we  not  say  of  the  stupidity  of  a  person  who 
rescued  a  child  from  an  open  cistern  and  then  left  the  cistern 
uncovered  for  some  other  child  to  fall  into?  Yet  this  is  just 
what  child-caring  agencies  are  doing  who  go  on  year  after  year 
caring  for  an  endless  procession  of  children  from  weak  or  broken 
homes  without  going  back  of  the  acute  problems  and  studying 
the  conditions  which  are  producing  them.  Except  in  a  few  in- 
stances, there  have  been  no  systematic  attempts  on  the  part  of 
child-caring  agencies  themselves  to  make  known  the  conditions 
which  make  their  work  necessary  and  to  take  an  active  part  in 
eliminating  those  which  are  preventable. 

*  Devine,  Edward  T.:  Misery  and  Its  Causes.  New  York,  Macmillan, 
1909. 

125 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

It  is  not  here  suggested  that  every  child-caring  agency 
should  attempt  to  carry  on  formal  or  elaborate  social  research, 
or  conduct  campaigns  for  prevention,  any  more  than  trained 
nurses  should  undertake  medical  research  and  try  to  regulate 
public  health  work.  They  should,  however,  make  their  observa- 
tions and  experiences  available  in  definite  record  form,  so  that 
the  data  may  be  used  to  advance  preventive  measures.  Let  us 
see  how  the  records  of  children's  institutions  and  societies  could 
be  utilized  in  striking  at  the  sources  of  dependency  and  delin- 
quency. 

Child-caring  agencies  complain  that  they  are  constantly 
obliged  to  care  for  children  of  deserting  fathers,  but  what  are 
they  doing  to  prevent  desertion?  Most  of  them  follow  the  line 
of  least  resistance,  care  for  the  children  and  let  the  fathers  go. 
This  may  temporarily  relieve  the  children  but  it  does  not  stop 
desertion.  What  about  the  moral  effect  upon  the  fathers,  and 
upon  other  fathers  and  unmarried  men  who  see  how  easy  it  is 
to  disappear  and  let  some  one  else  shoulder  their  responsibilities? 

Child-caring  organizations  could  do  much  to  secure  more 
effective  means  of  dealing  with  desertion  if  they  accumulated 
facts  and  pulled  together  to  improve  existing  laws  and  machinery. 

An  example  of  what  may  be  done  by  concerted  effort  of 
children's  agencies  to  cope  with  this  evil  is  seen  in  the  work  of 
a  group  of  Boston  organizations.  They  had  found  it  difficult, 
because  of  numerous  defects  in  the  law,  to  deal  effectively  with 
deserting  and  nonsupporting  husbands  and  fathers  and  so  they 
set  out  in  a  systematic  fashion  to  secure  a  better  law.  A  com- 
mittee was  formed  composed  of  representatives  of  each  of  the 
agencies,  and  for  a  stated  period  a  record  of  every  case  of  deser- 
tion and  nonsupport  coming  to  the  attention  of  any  of  the  co- 
operating organizations  was  immediately  placed  in  the  hands  of 
the  special  committee,  which  studied  the  records  for  the  purpose 
of  determining  what  changes  were  needed  in  order  to  make  the 
existing  law  effective.  Armed  with  definite  facts,  the  committee 
secured  the  co-operation  of  the  district  attorney  and  the  Com- 
mission on  Uniform  Legislation,  and,  working  together,  they 
drafted  the  Uniform  Desertion  Act,  which  was  passed  by  the 
126 


RECORDS    IN    PREVENTIVE    WORK 

legislature.  This  law  gives  the  courts  "a  means  of  dealing  effec- 
tively with  such  offenders,  and  includes  the  important  feature 
of  a  daily  payment  of  fifty  cents  to  the  families  of  men  com- 
mitted at  hard  labor  for  these  offences."* 

In  almost  every  community  there  are  organizations  work- 
ing for  social  betterment  which  need  for  their  success  just  such 
information  as  child-caring  agencies  should  be  able  to  furnish. 

For  example,  not  long  ago  a  representative  of  a  court  com- 
mittee was  trying  to  secure  facts  in  regard  to  the  extent  of 
desertion  in  order  to  promote  national  legislation  and  improve 
the  methods  of  dealing  with  deserters.  It  was  discouraging  to 
him  to  learn  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  get  infor- 
mation on  this  subject  from  any  considerable  number  of  child- 
caring  organizations. 

Take  another  burning  question — that  of  the  mental  defec- 
tive. Of  what  use  is  it  for  a  children's  home  to  spend  money  and 
years  of  time  caring  for  children  who  are  mentally  and  morally 
too  weak  to  ever  become  responsible  if  they  remove  all  restraint 
and  control  when  the  children  reach  the  critical  period  of  adoles- 
cence, and  send  them  out  to  become  "criminals"  and  to  reproduce 
their  kind?  Agencies  will  tell  you  that  the  institutions  for 
defectives  are  full  and  that  there  is  nothing  else  for  them  to  do, 
but  are  they  making  the  necessary  effort  to  collect  their  facts 
and  to  join  forces  with  other  agencies  to  secure  the  needed  pro- 
tection for  these  children  and  for  the  community? 

Here  is  the  situation  in  one  state: 

The  question  was  asked  of  the  superintendent  of  every 
children's  institution:  "Have  you  any  feeble-minded  children 
in  your  institution?"  Almost  invariably  the  reply  was,  "Yes." 
In  the  reformatories  for  juvenile  delinquents,  the  superintendents 
complained  that  large  numbers  of  feeble-minded  made  it  impos- 
sible for  them  to  do  justice  to  the  normal  boys  and  girls.  In  the 
children's  homes  the  number  of  defectives,  while  less,  was  still 
appreciable.  The  complaint  of  every  superintendent  was  that 
the  state  school  for  the  feeble-minded  was  overcrowded  and 
could  offer  no  relief.     Yet  no  individual  or  concerted  effort  had 

*  Boston  Provident  Association.  Annual  Reports,  1909,  p.  8;  191 1,  pp.  6,  10. 
127 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

been  made  by  these  child-caring  agencies  to  find  out  how  many 
of  the  children  in  each  institution  actually  were  feeble-minded, 
to  assemble  their  facts,  and  to  unite  in  a  campaign  for  better 
provisions  for  the  feeble-minded,  as  the  only  effective  means  of 
prevention  and  of  solving  their  own  difficulties. 

Over  against  this,  we  have  an  instance  where  child-caring 
agencies,  instead  of  accepting  a  similar  situation  as  inevitable, 
did  some  real  constructive  work.  A  committee  on  the  protec- 
tion of  the  feeble-minded  of  the  Massachusetts  Society  for  the 
Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Children,  composed  of  representatives 
of  a  number  of  philanthropic  organizations,  published  a  pamphlet 
entitled  The  Menace  of  the  Feeble-minded  in  Massachusetts.* 
The  facts  which  it  contained  were  gathered  by  this  committee 
from  the  social  and  financial  records  of  a  number  of  social  agencies 
in  the  state.  The  object  was  to  show  the  present  provision  for 
the  feeble-minded  in  Massachusetts  as  contrasted  with  present 
needs,  in  order  to  help  secure  appropriations  for  enlarging  the 
capacity  of  institutions  for  defectives.  The  pamphlet  was  an 
important  factor  in  the  campaign  for  appropriations,  and  as  a 
result  of  the  campaign,  the  greater  part  of  the  funds  asked  for 
was  allowed  by  the  legislature. 

Take  another  instance:  A  social  worker  interviewed  an 
overseer  of  the  poor  in  a  coal  district.  The  overseer  stated  that 
the  demands  for  outdoor  relief  were  heavy,  owing  to  the  large 
number  of  families  that  were  deprived  of  their  wage-earners  by 
industrial  accidents  in  the  mines,  but  he  was  making  no  use  of 
this  information.  An  enlightened  overseer  need  not  have  per- 
mitted such  conditions  to  go  unchallenged.  He  might  have 
collected  his  facts  and  used  them  in  an  effort  to  check  preventable 
accidents  and  to  shift  the  responsibility  for  nonpreventable  ones 
from  the  public  treasury  to  the  industry. 

Another  instance  where  facts  needed  have  not  been  availa- 
ble is  in  the  recent  movement  for  establishing  pensions  for 
mothers. 

The   possibilities   for   helpfulness  which   are  disclosed   by 

*  The  Menace  of  the  Feeble-minded  in  Massachusetts.  Massachusetts 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Children.     Boston,  May,  1913. 

128 


RECORDS    IN    PREVENTIVE    WORK 

systematic  study  of  the  facts  in  case  records  are  almost  unlimited. 
These  are  simply  a  few  suggestions  as  to  ways  in  which  child- 
caring  organizations  could  and  should  contribute  to  larger  pre- 
ventive movements. 

The  social  spirit  in  many  communities,  manifesting  itself 
in  social  surveys,  child  welfare  exhibits,  infant  mortality  cam- 
paigns, and  so  forth,  seems  to  be  in  excess  of  the  facts  needed 
to  guide  it  intelligently  and  wisely.  How  can  child-caring  agen- 
cies help  to  foster  and  direct  these  movements? 

First:  They  can  know  what  other  social  organizations, 
local  and  state,  are  in  the  community,  and  what  they  are  trying 
to  do. 

It  is  amazing  to  find  how  provincial  many  child-caring 
agencies  are,  and  how  little  they  sometimes  know  of  work  that 
is  being  done  at  their  very  doors  which  would  be  useful  in  helping 
them  to  meet  their  own  difficulties.  Housing  associations,  child 
labor  committees,  immigration  societies,  vocational  schools, 
clubs,  recreation  associations,  and  so  forth,  all  touch  at  some 
points  the  work  of  child-caring  agencies.* 

Second:  They  can  keep  their  records  in  such  a  way  that 
the  material  contained  in  them  may  be  utilized  by  themselves 
or  by  other  agencies  for  advancing  preventive  work. 

Any  organization  which  secures  adequate  records  of  the 
family  and  personal  histories  of  children  at  the  time  of  admis- 
sion, and  continues  these  records  while  children  remain  under 
their  care  or  supervision,  has  in  them  a  basis  for  research. 

Third:  By  systematic  co-operation  they  can  furnish  to 
organizations  or  committees  which  are  in  position  to  use  them 
effectively,  the  facts  on  various  social  problems  which  their 
records  contain. 

Almost  any  organization,  for  example,  could  undertake  for 
a  limited  period  to  report  cases  bearing  upon  particular  ques- 
tions, as  was  done  by  the  Boston  agencies  when  they  were 
working  for  the  uniform  desertion  act. 

*  Byington,  Margaret  F. :  What  Social  Workers  Should  Know  About  Their 
Own  Communities.  New  York,  Charity  Organization  Department  of  the  Russell 
Sage  Foundation,  191 1. 

129 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR   CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

A  simple  and  satisfactory  way  of  indexing,  for  present  and 
future  use,  cases  which  bear  on  different  subjects  is  to  have 
cards  for  each  subject  and  to  list  on  them  the  folder  numbers 
or  the  names  of  the  children  in  whose  histories  illustrative 
material  is  found.  Health  is  often  a  large  factor  in  child  depen- 
dency, and  many  diseases,  such  as  typhoid,  tuberculosis,  and 
smallpox,  may  be  directly  due  to  bad  housing,  an  impure  water 
supply,  or  other  community  conditions  which  should  be  remedied. 
If  a  child  is  received  because  a  parent  has  died  of  tuberculosis, 
make  an  index  card  headed  "Tuberculosis"  and  on  the  card 
write  the  name  or  record  number  of  the  child.  Make  similar 
cards  for  "desertion,"  "feeble-minded,"  "illegitimacy,"  and 
so  forth,  thus: 


Tuberculosis 

.87 
294 
298 
354 

482 
498 
560 

Whenever  material  bearing  upon  any  subject  is  wanted, 
the  index  card  shows  at  once  where  it  may  be  found.* 

There  is  now  a  decided  tendency  in  some  states  to  recognize 
that  the  state  board  of  charities  or  some  other  public  agency  of 
the  state  should  assume  the  responsibility  of  gathering  from 
child-caring  agencies  information  needed  for  preventive  work  in 
the  social  field,  and  translating  it  into  practical  programs. 

The  Bureau  of  Analysis  and  Investigation,  established 
July  12,  191 1,  by  the  New  York  State  Board  of  Charities,t  is 
one  instance  of  this  tendency;    the  recently  established  Child 

*A  method  of  recording  the  disabilities  found  in  each  family  is  described 
in  detail  in  Sears,  Amelia:  The  Charity  Visitor,  pp.  48-59.  Chicago  School  of 
Civics  and  Philanthropy,   1913. 

t  New  York  State  Board  of  Charities.     Annual  Report,  1913,  p.  147. 
130 


RECORDS  IN  PREVENTIVE  WORK 

Welfare   Department  of  the  Ohio  Board  of  State  Charities  is 
another. 

Some  child-caring  agencies  are  recognizing  the  desirability 
of  having  research  departments  of  their  own  for  the  purpose  of 
studying  their  work  and  determining  how  far  it  has  succeeded, 
to  what  failures  may  be  due,  and  what  changes  of  policy  are 
needed  to  correct  them.  The  Children's  Aid  Society  of  Boston 
has  created  such  a  department  during  the  past  year  (191 3). 
The  Girls  Parole  Department  of  the  Massachusetts  Training 
Schools  has  carried  on  research  for  several  years  in  connection 
with  its  work.  Clinics  in  connection  with  several  juvenile  courts 
have  made  useful  contributions  to  our  knowledge  of  delinquency. 
Reformatories  are  also  beginning  to  establish  research  bureaus. 


131 


CHAPTER  VII 

METHODS  AND  DEVICES  FOR  MAKING 
RECORDS  AVAILABLE 

THE  value  of  even  the  best  records  is  seriously  impaired 
if  they  are  not  readily  available.     This  means  that  they 
must  be  accurately  indexed,  systematically  arranged,  and 
carefully  filed. 

INDEXING  RECORDS 
There  are  three  kinds  of  indexes: 
i .     The  book  index. 

2.  The  ordinary  card  index,  in  which  cards  are  filed 
alphabetically  in  drawers. 

3.  The  visible  card  index,  in  which  the  cards  are  alpha- 
betically arranged  in  metal  frames  so  that  all  the 
names  are  visible. 

The  book  index  has  serious  limitations  and  is  not  to  be 
recommended.  As  entries  multiply,  it  is  practically  impossible 
to  preserve  a  strict  alphabetical  order  beyond  the  first  letter,  so 
that  it  is  often  necessary  in  looking  up  a  name  to  search  through 
many  pages,  sometimes  in  more  than  one  book.  Besides,  in 
running  down  a  long  column,  it  is  easy  to  miss  a  name  and 
searches  frequently  have  to  be  repeated  at  a  great  waste  of  time 
and  effort. 

With  a  card  index,  on  the  other  hand,  an  unlimited  num- 
ber of  new  names  may  be  inserted  in  exact  alphabetical  sequence 
without  disarranging  the  cards  in  the  file. 

In  preparing  a  card  index,  the  name  of  each  child  is  entered 
on  a  separate  card,  beginning  in  the  upper  left-hand  corner  and 
writing  the  last  name  first.  The  cards  are  arranged  in  strict 
alphabetical  order  in  a  drawer  or  on  a  metal  frame,  according 
to  the  system  of  filing  used.     They  should  then  be  separated 

132 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

First,  sufficient  information  to  identify  the  case  and  to 
distinguish  between  two  children  who  may  have  the  same  name. 
The  child's  birthday,  his  sex,  color,  religion,  the  source  from 
which  he  was  received,  and  the  dates  of  admission  and  discharge 
are  usually  adequate  for  this. 

Second,  references  showing  where  other  records  of  the 
child  may  be  found — the  number  of  his  record  in  the  register, 
the  number  of  his  family  history  record,  and  so  on.    Where  more 


M  ■  i  3    I    4   i    6    I  ■  I    7    I   8    I  9    I  10 

Name  ^Register  Ho.  «2  3  tf 


1  vcttA^   7I<~sia4 


Folder  Bo.        2.0/ 


Male  ^        White-'      Catholic""^  Date  of  birth 

Protestant  V^V /?«^ 

Female         Colored       Hebrew 

Received  from  Date  received" 

Discharged  to  Date  of  discharge 
Address       gJUvy^,    (/>«-' 


Form  No.  45.    General  Index  Card  for  Institutions 

Suggested  by  the  Russell  Sage  Foundation,  Department  of  Child-Helping 

(Size  3  x  5  or  4  x  6  inches) 

than  one  number  referring  to  other  records  appears  on  the 
index  card,  care  should  be  taken  to  make  the  special  record  to 
which  each  refers  easily  distinguishable.  The  register  number, 
for  example,  could  be  entered  in  red,  and  the  folder  number  in 
black,  or  an  "R"  could  be  prefixed  to  the  register  number. 

In  some  cases  it  may  be  desirable,  as  a  matter  of  con- 
venience, to  enter  a  few  other  facts,  but  if  so,  they  should  be 
well  selected  and  the  mistake  should  not  be  made  of  trying  to 
turn  the  general  index  card  into  an  abbreviated  family  history. 

134 


MAKING    RECORDS    AVAILABLE 

Form  45  shows  a  set  of  facts  which  it  is  believed  may  prop- 
erly be  included  on  the  index  card  of  a  child  in  an  institution. 

Organizations  which  place  children  out  do  not  always 
record  placements  on  the  index  card  because  children  are  often 
changed  from  one  home  to  another,  and  the  ordinary  index  card 
would  not  hold  all  of  the  entries  if  changes  were  frequent.  The 
Kentucky    Children's    Home   Society,    a   child-placing   agency, 


Name    C&*sdk.  f  ClM-<*>4- L  • 

Date  of  Birth  /tyi.^*/,  / 7 df 
Protestant  K 
Catholic 
Hebrew 

Received  from:  ^£c*-»v^  7?LsL~y  7?t .  C£Z*£bsis 

Placed  with:  TTfa, .  7>l .  j/  &u^a.. 
Address:  2.  J    ^^^.  ^JJ 

Transferred  to:  TPI**..  >CC-  C*rvj!uA' 
Address:    fr  ^  A^c^J-  ^sf/ 


no.  ¥-j2,r 

Nationality 

Colored          Male  S' 
White  S     Female 

Foundling       ^ 
Abandoned  >r 
Surrendered 

Orphaned 
Destitute 
Committed  by  Court 

date:  S^.O.,  /9/f 
No.    27 ?       AaX<t.£yJ..3,/f// 


No.  rjp-       date:  &A*.  .J  OJf/Z. 


Passed  from  Care 
Date:^/ 


9/3 


Adopted    y 
Became  of  Age 


Married 
Died 


Sent  to: 
Address 


Form  No.  46.    General  Index  Card  for  Child-placing  Society 

State  Charities  Aid  Association,  New  York  City 

(Size  4x6  inches) 


puts  no  information  on  the  child's  index  card  except  his  name 
and  the  numbers  referring  to  his  other  records.  In  the  register 
used  by  this  society,  however  (see  Form  2,  page  8),  there  is 
a  brief  digest  of  his  record  and  a  memorandum  of  all  place- 
ments and  replacements,  and  this  record  may  be  found  readily 
merely  by  looking  up  the  page  number  in  the  card  index.  The 
New  York  State  Charities  Aid  Association,  on  the  other  hand, 
which  is  also  a  placing-out  agency,  uses  a  4  x  6-inch  index  card 

135 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

and  enters  on  it  a  record  of  placements  and  replacements. 
Form  46  is  the  index  card  used  by  this  association. 

In  making  a  card  index,  it  is  essential  to  include  the  name 
of  every  child  who  has  ever  been  in  care.  If  an  organization 
has  kept  a  complete  register,  the  index  may  readily  be  made  up 
from  this.  If  a  register  has  not  been  kept,  it  will  be  necessary 
to  compile  a  list  of  the  children  from  such  other  records  as  may 
be  available — applications,  commitment  papers,  letters,  and  so 
on.  The  point  to  be  emphasized  is  that  if  a  card  index  is  to 
serve  as  a  reliable  source  of  reference,  it  must  be  complete,  and 
no  pains  should  be  spared  to  make  an  exhaustive  search  for  the 
names  of  all  children  in  care  from  the  date  of  opening. 

In  this  connection  it  is  important  to  consider  also  the 
question  of  cross-indexing,  in  order  to  provide  for  every  possible 
contingency.  Cross-indexing  is  the  practice  of  inserting  addi- 
tional cards  in  the  index  where  a  name  permits  of  more  than 
one  spelling  or  where  a  person  may  be  known  by  more  than 
one  name. 

In  cases  of  different  spellings  of  the  same  name,  it  is  cus- 
tomary to  index  all  persons  of  that  name  under  the  spelling 
most  commonly  used,  and  to  make  separate  index  cards  for  the 
other  possible  spellings,  referring  to  the  one  under  which  the 
record  is  filed.  The  name  "Connor,"  for  example,  is  sometimes 
spelled  "Conner"  or  "O'Connor."  The  first  is  the  most  common 
form  of  the  name.  Suppose  we  have  Peter  Connor,  James 
Conner,  and  William  O'Connor,  five  index  cards  are  needed, 
as  follows: 

(1)  Connor,  James 
(Conner) 

(2)  Connor,  Peter 

(3)  Connor,  William 
(O'Connor) 

(4)  Conner,  see  Connor 

(5)  O'Connor,  see  Connor 

When  a  name  is  indexed  under  a  different  spelling  from 
that  used  by  the  person  himself,  it  is  helpful  to  have  both  spell- 
ings entered  on  the  card,  one  being  enclosed  in  brackets,  as  shown. 

.36 


Figure  III.     Visible  Index.     (Seepage  133) 

Courtesy  of  The  Rand  Company,  North  Tonawanda,  New  York 


MAKING    RECORDS    AVAILABLE 

When  aliases  are  met  with,  as  they  often  are  in  juvenile 
courts  and  reformatories,  or  when  foreigners  adopt  Americanized 
names,  and  go  sometimes  by  one,  sometimes  by  the  other,  the 
index  card  should  bear  the  name  most  commonly  used,  and  a 
second  index  card  should  be  made  giving  the  other  name  and 
containing  a  reference  to  the  first  card. 

To  take  a  concrete  instance,  an  Italian  boy  named  John 
Laciano  was  generally  known  as  John  Lacy.  He  should  be 
given  two  index  cards.  As  Lacy  is  the  name  most  commonly 
used  by  this  boy,  that  card  should  contain  all  the  usual  infor- 
mation and  record  numbers,  thus: 


Lacy,  John 


R  1287 
2973 


The  second  card  should  read 


Laciano,  John 
See  Lacy 


It  is  also  customary  in  many  charitable  organizations  to 
cross-index  the  records  of  children  or  families  who  are  known  to 
be  related.  If,  for  example,  John  Smith  and  Mary  Davis  are 
cousins,  an  entry  is  made  on  John  Smith's  index  card,  "  See  Mary 
Davis,"  and  a  similar  reference  is  entered  on  Mary  Davis'  card. 

Many  institutions  transfer  to  a  separate  division  of  the 
index  the  cards  of  all  children  who  have  been  discharged,  so 
that  the  current  file  always  represents  the  actual  institution 
population.  The  current  file  may  then  be  used  as  a  basis  for  a 
roll-call  at  any  time.  This  is  a  great  convenience  if  an  institu- 
tion is  likely  to  be  asked  to  render  a  statement  of  its  census  for 
a  given  date,  as  in  New  York  state,  where  the  state  board  of 
charities  requires  that  "the  records  shall  be  so  arranged,  either 
by  means  of  a  card  index  or  otherwise,  that  an  accurate  roll- 

137 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

call  of  the  children  present  at  any  time  can  be  readily  made 
from  them."  When  cards  are  transferred  in  this  way,  two  sets 
of  division  guides  are  needed. 

ORGANIZING  RECORDS  FOR  FILING 

Wherever  practical,  all  records  and  papers  pertaining  to 
a  child  should  be  kept  together:  the  family  history;  the  special 
history  of  the  child  himself;  his  commitment  papers,  if  any;  his 
physical,  psychological,  and  school  records;  correspondence 
about  the  child  (originals  of  letters  received  and  carbon  copies 
of  letters  written);  and  miscellaneous  records.  This  material 
should  be  chronologically  arranged  and  put  into  a  "folder." 

A  folder  for  filing  purposes  is  a  piece  of  heavy  manilla 
paper  (usually  about  \\}4  x  18  inches),  large  enough,  when 
doubled,  to  extend  just  a  little  beyond  the  edges  of  the  records 
that  it  is  to  hold.  The  sheet  is  folded  so  that  the  back  edge 
extends  about  half  an  inch  above  the  front  edge.  On  this  exten- 
sion edge  the  name  of  the  child  or  the  index  number  of  his  record 
is  written,  depending  upon  whether  the  alphabetical  or  numerical 
method  of  filing  is  used.  (For  a  description  of  these  methods, 
see  page  143.) 

There  are  occasional  exceptions  to  the  general  rule  that 
all  the  records  of  a  child  should  be  filed  together.  Sometimes 
it  is  desirable,  especially  in  large  institutions,  to  have  the  medical 
and  dental  records  kept  in  a  separate  file  in  the  physician's 
office  as  long  as  a  child  remains  under  direct  care.  Also,  it  is 
often  more  convenient  to  have  the  school  records  in  a  separate 
file,  when  it  is  necessary  to  refer  to  them  frequently.  But  in 
such  cases  these  records  should  be  transferred  when  a  child 
passes  from  care  and  filed  with  his  other  records  in  his  folder. 

There  is  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  how  the  letters  which 
form  part  of  a  child's  record  should  be  handled.  It  is  thought 
by  some  that  letters  received  and  carbon  copies  of  replies  should 
be  chronologically  arranged,  numbered  consecutively,  fastened 
together  and  filed  back  of  his  other  records  in  the  folder,  keeping 
the  family  history  record  a  complete  unit.  Other  persons  say 
that  if  correspondence  is  bunched  separately  there  is  a  tendency, 

138 


MAKING    RECORDS    AVAILABLE 

in  reading  the  record,  to  ignore  the  letters,  and  that  it  is  better 
to  file  them  among  the  history  sheets  according  to  date.  This 
point  is  well  taken.  In  either  case,  letters  should  be  numbered 
consecutively  and  a  reference  to  them  by  date  and  number  should 
be  entered  on  the  family  history  record.  (See  "Story  Sheet," 
Form  8,  page  37.) 

A  method  of  indexing  letters  which  has  been  suggested  by 
the  Illinois  Children's  Home  and  Aid  Society  is  admirable,  if 
there  is  a  large  number  of  letters  in  a  folder.     It  serves  to  focus 


HAMB   OF   CHILD 


X^-^. 


F0IXE5  BO. -a Pf 


Bo.  of 

letter 
(a) 


Data  of  letter 


Synopsis  of  letter 


/7Z«-g&^    y-f-~^> 


4~~«7£*~     t  J^+J£j. 


^latjt^t.a^ta  £  ^^U  '*/, 


^ 


M+4 


*^yrf~-~y 


&t~JLr 


i^A^L. 


'a)  Letters  are  numbered  chronologically. 

The  symbol  (z)  before  a  date  indioates  letter  from  the  institution  or   society 
to  the  relative,  foster  parent  or  child. 

Form  No.  47.     Index  Sheet  of  Reports  and  Correspondence 

Illinois  Children's  Home  and  Aid  Society,  Chicago 

(Size  8}4  x  1 1  inches) 

attention  upon  the  essential  points  of  all  letters,  and  makes  it 
possible  for  one  referring  to  the  history  to  pick  out  quickly  any 
particular  letter  which  may  be  wanted. 

Letters  are  arranged  chronologically  and  numbered  con- 
secutively and  an  index  sheet  is  attached  to  the  record.  Form 
47  is  suggested  by  the  society  for  this  purpose.  The  number 
and  date  of  each  letter,  the  person  by  whom  it  was  written,  if  an 
incoming  letter,  or  to  whom  it  was  written,  if  outgoing,  and  a 
brief  synopsis  of  its  contents  are  entered  on  this  sheet.  If  any 
one  wishes  to  look  up  a  particular  letter,  it  is  possible,  by  referring 
to  this  sheet,  to  see  the  number  of  the  letter  and  turn  to  it  at 
once.  This  is  an  incalculable  saving  of  time,  especially  when 
there  are  many  letters  in  a  folder.     It  also  makes  it  possible  for 

139 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

a  person  reading  the  record  to  see  by  a  glance  at  the  index 
sheet  the  gist  of  all  the  correspondence. 

It  will  be  seen  that  Form  47  relates  to  correspondence 
about  children  in  foster  homes.  By  changing  the  headings,  as 
follows,  the  form  will  be  of  more  general  application: 

No.  Date  of  Name  of  correspondent      Synopsis  of  letter 

letter 

The  Illinois  Children's  Home  and  Aid  Society  reports, 
however,  that  it  has  not  continued  the  use  of  the  summary  sheet 
because  of  the  amount  of  time  required  to  make  the  entries. 
The  superintendent  of  the  society  states,  "We  would  recom- 
mend such  for  organizations  having  facilities  for  making  a 
chronological   synopsis  of  all   material  contained   in   the  file." 

While  this  plan  may  never  be  generally  adopted  it  is  worth 
careful  consideration.  It  would  be  an  interesting  study  in 
economy  and  efficiency  to  discover  whether  the  time  of  agents 
consumed  in  looking  through  masses  of  letters  in  children's  folders 
to  find  particular  pieces  of  correspondence  costs  an  organization 
more  or  less  than  the  time  required  to  make  a  brief  synopsis  of 
these  letters  when  they  are  put  into  the  files. 

A  very  simple  and  useful  method  of  calling  attention  to 
important  points  in  letters  is  to  underline  them  with  red  ink. 

It  is  always  more  or  less  difficult  to  keep  papers  from  be- 
coming disarranged  in  the  folders.  To  prevent  this,  they  should 
be  attached  at  one  of  the  left-hand  corners  with  a  fastener,  both 
for  the  sake  of  order  and  to  guard  against  loss  of  mater  al  when 
folders  are  taken  from  the  files.  Two  kinds  of  fasteners  are 
commonly  used  for  this  purpose,  the  clip  of  looped  wire  and 
brass-headed  fasteners.  The  latter  are  pushed  through  the 
papers  and  clamped  at  the  back.  Although  the  wire  clips  come 
off  easily  and  the  brass  fasteners  tear  through  the  papers  if 
records  are  handled  much,  no  better  plan  of  fastening  records 
has  been  devised  up  to  the  present  time.  In  the  case  of  brass 
fasteners,  the  tendency  to  tear  may  be  considerably  reduced 
by  the  use  of  small  brass  washers  at  the  front  and  back  of  the 
papers  where  the  fasteners  are  inserted. 

140 


Figure  IV.     Visible  Index.     (See  page  133) 

Courtesy  of  Index  Visible,  Inc.,  New  Haven,  Connecticut 


MAKING    RECORDS    AVAILABLE 

Letters  are  usually  the  most  serious  obstacle  to  orderliness 
in  the  files.  Some  will  be  on  correspondence  paper, — written  on 
all  four  sides;  others  on  business  paper, — written  on  one  side; 
often  there  are  postals.  The  inconvenience  resulting  from  this 
diversity  may  be  partly  overcome  by  pasting  cards  and  small 
letters  on  blank  sheets  uniform  in  size  with  the  other  records,  or 
by  fastening  them  to  blank  sheets  by  means  of  brass  fasteners. 

Frequently  there  are  other  records  of  awkward  sizes  which 
can  not  be  handled  in  this  way.  It  is  a  great  convenience  to 
have  a  manilla  envelope  about  7x10  inches  in  the  child's  folder 
into  which  photographs  and  miscellaneous  small  cards  may  be 
slipped. 

It  should  go  without  saying  that  a  copy  of  every  letter 
sent  out  by  an  agency  should  be  kept  on  file.  Organizations 
which  have  typewriters  can  easily  make  carbon  copies  of  all 
correspondence,  and  many  of  them  do  this;  but  when  letters 
must  be  written  by  hand  the  problem  is  more  difficult.  In  these 
days  of  cheap  typewriters,  however,  almost  any  organization 
should  be  able  to  possess  one — not  the  latest  model,  perhaps, 
but  one  which  will  answer  all  practical  purposes.  Good  second- 
hand or  "re-assembled"  typewriters  may  be  bought  from  type- 
writer dealers  at  prices  ranging  from  about  $30  to  $50.  It  is 
not  a  difficult  matter  for  anyone  to  learn  to  use  a  machine,  and 
the  time  and  labor  saved,  the  increased  convenience  and  efficiency, 
soon  justify  the  expense  involved. 

The  forms  given  in  this  study  have  been  selected  chiefly 
for  their  subject  matter  and  general  suggestiveness.  Because 
they  have  been  collected  from  different  agencies  which  use 
different  systems,  they  show  wide  variations  in  size  and 
arrangement.  This  must  be  taken  into  account  by  any  organiza- 
tion that  makes  use  of  them. 

All  records  which  are  to  be  filed  in  the  children's  folders 
should  be  planned  with  the  idea  of  having  them  as  nearly  uniform 
in  size  as  possible,  because  this  makes  for  order  in  the  files  and 
for  ease  in  handling  and  referring  to  material.  If  the  folders 
are  of  standard  correspondence  size — and  this  is  now  conceded 
to  be  the  most  satisfactory  for  general    purposes — the  record 

141 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

forms  should  be,  as  far  as  practicable,  about  the  size  of  the 
standard  business  letter  head,  that  is,  about  1 1  inches  long  by 
8)4  inches  wide.  This  is  a  good  size  for  the  family  history  and 
for  many  other  records. 

If  smaller  forms  are  needed,  it  is  well,  whenever  possible, 
to  use  sheets  of  the  same  width  as  the  letter  head  but  only  one- 
half  as  long.  This  brings  the  right  edges  of  all  records  together 
in  the  files  and  makes  reference  to  the  papers  easier. 

Cards  5x8  inches,  for  which  standard  filing  drawers  are 
made,  are  convenient  for  special  records  which  an  agency  may 
wish  to  file  separately,  as  for  example,  the  current  dental  and 
medical  records.  Cards  of  these  dimensions  are  just  about  one- 
half  the  size  of  a  standard  letter  head,  and  will  fit  in  readily  with 
other  material  when  transferred  to  the  child's  folder.  Or,  if  a 
record  is  likely  to  exceed  the  limits  of  a  5  x  8-inch  card,  a  sheet 
of  tough  paper  (not  cardboard),  10  inches  long  and  8  inches  wide, 
may  be  substituted,  folding  it  through  the  middle  to  form  a 
5  x  8-inch  card.  If  a  folded  record  of  this  kind  is  used,  it  should 
be  opened  out  to  its  full  size  when  it  is  transferred  to  the  folder, 
making  a  sheet  uniform  with  the  other  records. 

The  use  of  different  colored  cards  for  different  records  is 
often  an  advantage.  This  makes  it  possible,  in  looking  through 
a  folder,  to  pick  out  particular  records  more  quickly.  If,  for 
example,  the  physical  examination  blanks  are  blue  and  the 
family  history  cards  buff,  they  can  be  distinguished  at  a  glance. 
Many  institutions  which  receive  children  of  both  sexes  use  one 
color  for  the  index  cards  of  boys  and  another  for  those  of  girls. 
The  two  dental  charts,  Forms  12  and  13,  are  of  different  colors; 
the  examination  chart  being  white,  the  clinical  chart  yellow. 
It  is  an  advantage  to  use  a  paper  of  contrasting  color  for  carbon 
copies  of  letters,  so  that  they  may  be  readily  distinguished  from 
letters  received  and  from  the  history  records.  In  this,  as  in 
other  matters  of  detail,  however,  each  organization  must  make 
individual  plans  based  upon  its  special  requirements. 

FILING   RECORDS 

After  the  records  and  papers  have  been  systematically 
arranged  in  the  folders,  they  are  ready  for  filing.    Standard  let- 

142 


MAKING    RECORDS    AVAILABLE 

ter  size  vertical  files  are  recommended  for  this  purpose.  Files 
of  this  size  permit  all  papers,  except  legal  documents,  to  be 
inserted  flat,  while  in  files  of  smaller  sizes  it  is  necessary  to  fold 
many  papers,  which  is  undesirable. 

There  are  two  methods  of  filing  in  common  use  among 
child-caring  agencies,  the  alphabetical  and  the  numerical.  When 
the  alphabetical  method  is  used,  the  name  of  the  child  is  written 
across  the  extension  edge  of  the  folder  and  the  folders  are  arranged 
in  the  files  alphabetically.  The  names  on  the  extension  edges 
of  the  folders  are  visible.  Under  the  numerical  system,  the 
folders  are  numbered  and  filed  consecutively,  the  numbers  being 
entered  in  the  right-hand  corner  of  the  extension  edge  of  the 
folder.  A  corresponding  number  is  also  entered  on  the  child's 
index  card.  When  a  child's  record  is  wanted,  his  index  card, 
which  is  filed  alphabetically,  is  looked  up,  and,  given  the  number, 
it  is  a  simple  matter  to  turn  to  the  folder  in  the  file. 

While  there  is  no  serious  objection  to  the  alphabetical 
method  in  a  small  organization  where  there  are  only  a  few  records, 
it  is  not  recommended  for  general  use.  The  only  advantage  of 
the  alphabetical  system  is  that  a  folder  may  be  looked  up  with- 
out referring  to  the  index,  whereas  the  numerical  system  necessi- 
tates looking  first  in  the  index  for  the  folder  number.  The  card 
index,  however,  should  be  kept  in  any  case  for  reference  purposes, 
and  a  test  will  soon  convince  a  doubter  that  it  is  no  more  difficult 
and  requires  no  more  time  to  look  up  records  under  the  numerical 
than  under  the  alphabetical  system,  and  that  the  numerical 
method  has  several  distinct  advantages: 

First,  cards  can  be  handled  more  quickly  than  folders,  and 
after  an  index  card  has  been  found  it  is  merely  a  matter  of  a 
moment  to  secure  the  folder  of  the  corresponding  number.  This 
advantage  is  more  readily  apparent  when  records  become  bulky. 
The  tendency  of  folders  to  sag  in  the  files  as  records  grow,  caus- 
ing the  extension  edges  to  drop  below  the  line  of  vision,  increases 
the  difficulties  of  finding  records  which  are  filed  alphabetically.* 

*  This  difficulty  may  be  partially  overcome  by  the  use  of  special  folders. 
Some  agencies  which  file  their  records  alphabetically  have  folders  with  a  deep  flap 
which  extends  over  the  front  edge,  and  helps  to  hold  the  folder  in  position.  Folders 
of  heavy  material,  with  expansion  bottoms,  are  also  useful  for  filing  bulky  records. 

143 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

Under  the  numerical  method,  this  sagging  causes  less  inconve- 
nience because  the  numbers  run  consecutively  and  it  is  easy  to 
detect  a  folder  which  may  have  slipped  out  of  place. 

Second,  folders  must  constantly  be  taken  out  of  the  files 
for  reference  and  there  is  much  less  likelihood  under  the  numerical 
system  of  their  being  misplaced  in  returning  them  to  the  files. 
To  put  a  numbered  folder  in  its  correct  place  is  very  much 
easier  than  to  file  one  alphabetically. 

Third,  the  numerical  system  saves  space  in  the  files.  Where 
folders  are  filed  alphabetically  space  must  be  left  after  each 
letter  to  allow  for  expansion,  and  as  it  is  never  possible  to  fore- 
tell at  what  rate  the  different  sections  are  going  to  grow,  frequent 
shifting  of  material  is  necessary.  This  involves  considerable 
labor  especially  if  there  are  many  records.  It  is  far  easier  to 
estimate  the  space  needed  for  expansion  when  records  are  filed 
numerically.  Under  the  numerical  system,  each  record  or  paper 
in  a  child's  folder  should  bear  his  folder  number.  A  regular 
space  for  the  number  should  be  provided  on  all  record  forms. 
For  numbering  letters  and  miscellaneous  documents  a  blue  or 
red  pencil  should  be  used  and  the  number,  large  enough  to  be 
readily  seen,  should  be  entered  in  the  upper  right-hand  corner 
of  each  sheet. 

It  is  desirable  that  all  blanks  used  by  an  agency  should 
show  the  title  of  the  form  and  the  name  of  the  agency,  as,  for 
example,  in  the  Family  History  Record  of  the  Ohio  Board  of 
State  Charities,  Form  7  (page  33). 

If  there  is  more  than  one  child  from  the  same  family,  each 
child  should  have  a  separate  folder  for  his  own  personal  records. 
It  is  not  necessary,  however,  to  duplicate  the  family  history 
record.  It  should  be  filed  in  the  folder  of  the  first  child,  and  a 
slip  or  sheet  referring  to  it  should  be  inserted  in  the  folders  of 
each  of  the  other  children  in  the  family. 

The  folders  of  all  children  in  the  same  family  should  bear 
the  same  record  number  and  a  different  letter.  The  first  name 
of  the  child  or  some  other  device  should  be  prefixed  to  the 
number  on  each  folder  to  distinguish  the  records. 

144 


MAKING    RECORDS    AVAILABLE 

To  illustrate,  suppose  three  sisters,  Sarah,  Jane,  and  Mary 
Smith,  are  in  the  care  of  an  organization.  The  records  of  each 
child  will  be  filed  in  separate  folders,  which  will  all  bear  the  same 
number,  say  No.  285.  To  distinguish  the  folders  of  the  individual 
children,  a  different  serial  letter  may  be  prefixed  to  each  number, 
Jane's  folder  being  labeled  "A-285,"  Mary's  "B-285,"  and 
Sarah's  "C-285."  These  same  serial  letters  should  also  be 
prefixed  to  the  folder  numbers  on  the  index  cards  of  the  children. 
By  this  method  the  records  of  all  children  from  the  same  family, 
even  though  the  children  be  received  at  different  times,  will  be 
brought  together  under  the  same  number  in  the  files.  If  instead 
of  following  this  plan  each  child  of  a  family  were  given  a  separate 
number,  it  would  be  impossible,  unless  the  children  were  received 
on  the  same  date,  to  group  their  records  in  the  files,  and  it 
would  be  necessary,  if  the  complete  record  of  the  family  were 
wanted,  to  refer  to  several  places  for  it. 

When  new  record  forms  are  adopted  it  is  not  customary  to 
copy  all  of  the  old  records.  Usually,  if  old  records  are  on  cards, 
these  cards  are  numbered  and  dropped  into  the  folders;  if  in 
books,  the  page  reference  of  the  book  shows  on  the  index  card, 
or  it  may  in  addition  be  written  on  a  blank  sheet  and  put  into 
the  folder.  Only  new  cases  need  be  entered  on  the  new  cards 
unless  an  agency  wishes  to  transfer  old  records.  Some  agencies 
have  adopted  the  plan  of  copying  all  current  cases.  This  is 
desirable  if  it  can  be  done,  but  the  time  required  often  makes 
it  impossible. 

Numbered  division  guides,  which  extend  above  the  edges 
of  the  folders,  should  be  inserted  at  every  twentieth  folder  in 
the  vertical  files.  They  help  to  hold  the  folders  in  place,  and 
make  it  possible  to  refer  to  them  more  quickly.  (See  Figure  II, 
opposite  page  133.) 

The  work  of  filing  index  cards,  as  well  as  all  other  office 
records,  should  be  entrusted  to  one  person,  who  should  be  held 
responsible  for  seeing  that  this  is  done  correctly.  An  ironclad 
rule  should  be  observed  against  the  removal  of  index  cards  from 
the  file  by  any  other  person  for  any  purpose  whatsoever.  If 
this  is  not  done,  cards  may  be  lost  or  mis-filed  and  the  chief 

145 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


s   o. 


146 


MAKING    RECORDS     AVAILABLE 

value  of  the  index  as  a  reliable  source  of  reference  is  then  de- 
stroyed. When  folders  are  removed  from  the  files  by  other 
workers  for  reference  they  should  not  be  returned  to  the  files 
by  these  workers,  but  should  be  put  in  a  wire  desk  basket  or 
other  receptacle  until  the  person  who  is  responsible  for  the  filing 
has  time  to  replace  them. 

SPECIAL  INDEXES 
Besides  the  general  index,  many  organizations  find  it 
necessary  to  have  special  indexes.  Where  an  organization  places 
children  in  foster  homes,  there  should  be  a  permanent  index  of 
all  persons  who  apply  for  children;  also,  there  should  be  an 
index  of  all  children  who  are  in  family  homes  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  institution  or  society. 

Index  of  Foster  Homes 
The  following  plan  for  indexing  applicants  for  children  has 
been  adopted  by  the  Children's  Aid  Society  of  Pennsylvania. 
A  card,  Form  48,  is  made  out  for  each  family.     The  cards  are 
divided  into  three  sections: 

1.  The  prospective  group,  including: 

Homes  not  yet  investigated. 
Homes  approved  and  ready  for  use. 

2.  Homes  now  in  use. 

3.  Homes  rejected  or  withdrawn. 

In  the  first  group,  the  cards  of  homes  not  investigated  are 
tagged  with  metal  signals  (see  page  154)  to  distinguish  them 
from  homes  which  are  ready  for  use. 

The  index  is  operated  as  follows: 

Suppose  a  family  applies  for  a  child.  A  card  is  made  out, 
tagged  with  a  metal  signal  to  show  that  the  home  has  not  yet 
been  visited,  and  is  put  in  Section  1 . 

After  the  agent  visits  the  home,  an  entry  is  made  on  the 
card  to  show  whether  or  not  it  has  been  approved.  If  it  is 
approved,  the  signal  is  removed  and  the  card  is  left  in  Section 
1,  the  "prospective  home"  group;  if  rejected,  the  card  is  trans- 
ferred to  Section  3. 

'47 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

When  a  child  is  placed  in  an  approved  home,  the  card  is 
removed  from  Section  i  and  filed  in  Section  2.  After  a  time  the 
child  may  be  returned  because  the  home  has  proved  to  be  unsatis- 
factory, and  the  society  may  think  that  it  is  not  wise  to  try 
another  child  there.  The  card  is  then  removed  from  Section  2, 
the  fact  that  the  home  has  been  rejected  is  entered,  and  it  is 
filed  in  Section  3.  If  the  home  had  proved  satisfactory,  and  the 
people  had  wanted  to  take  another  child,  the  card  would  have 
been  put  back  into  Section  1,  as  a  prospective  home. 

The  items  "board,"  "free,"  "boy,"  "girl,"  and  so  on,  at 
the  left  of  the  card,  are  checked  to  show  in  general  what  kind  of 
a  child  is  wanted  by  the  family.  When  a  child  is  to  be  placed, 
the  visitor  refers  to  Section  1  to  find  if  there  are  any  homes  in 
the  prospective  list  to  which  he  might  be  sent,  and  these  points 
help  in  the  selection  of  possible  places.  The  number  in  the  upper 
right-hand  corner  of  the  card  refers  to  the  folder  containing  the 
agent's  full  report  on  the  home,  which  should  be  consulted 
before  making  a  final  decision. 

The  reports  on  foster  homes  should  be  filed  in  separate 
drawers,  but  according  to  the  same  general  plan  that  is  used 
in  filing  histories  of  the  children.  Some  societies  use  folders 
of  a  different  color  for  records  of  foster  homes,  in  order  that 
they  may  be  readily  distinguished  from  folders  containing 
records  of  the  children  and  thus  confusion  in  filing  be  avoided. 

Geographical  Index  of  Placed-out  Children 
Another  important  index  is  the  one  showing  the  children 
under  supervision  in  foster  homes.     Usually  this  is  arranged 
geographically,  by  towns  or  counties,  as  a  guide  to  visitors  in 
planning  their  visits. 

The  card  used  by  the  Children's  Aid  Society  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, Form  49,  which  provides  for  a  record  of  successive  place- 
ments, is  a  very  good  one.  The  card  used  by  the  Brooklyn  Chil- 
dren's Aid  Society,  Form  50,  is  also  excellent.  In  addition  to 
the  record  of  placements,  space  is  provided  on  the  face  of  the 
latter  card  for  checking  visits  made  and  school  reports  received. 
The  Children's  Aid  Society  of  Pennsylvania  removes  from 
148 


MAKING    RECORDS    AVAILABLE 


149 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


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RECORD    KEEPING    FOR   CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

the  geographical  index  the  cards  of  children  who  have  passed 
from  care  and  files  them  alphabetically.  These  cards  serve  as 
a  permanent  record  of  the  movements  of  all  children  and  in 
this  society  they  take  the  place  of  a  book  register. 

Locality  Index 
Many  agencies  keep  what  they  call  a  "town  index."  A 
card  is  made  out  for  each  town  which  the  agency  touches,  and 
on  this  card  are  entered  the  names  of  persons  living  in  the  town 
to  whom  the  agency  may  write  for  information  in  regard  to 
persons  in  that  locality.  One  society  has  broadened  the  town 
index  to  include  "persons  who  have  been  helpful"  and  "persons 
or  homes  to  be  avoided."  Sometimes  the  county  or  district 
unit  may  be  found  more  convenient  than  the  town  unit  in 
making  a  locality  index. 

Agent's  Index  of  Children  under  Supervision 
One  of  the  greatest  difficulties  that  a  visitor  has  is  to 
keep  clearly  in  mind  the  endless  details  which  are  involved  in 
the  supervision  of  children.  The  most  helpful  device  that  the 
writer  has  seen  for  reminding  a  visitor  of  important  matters 
which  need  attention  is  a  visible  desk  index,  Figure  V.  Single 
panels  may  be  had,  holding  about  75  cards,  or  if  more  cards  are 
needed,  several  panels  may  be  bound  together.  The  cards  are 
removable  and  the  edge  of  each  card,  showing  the  name,  is 
visible.  Any  items  which  an  agent  may  wish  to  have  on  the 
card  for  personal  convenience  in  supervising  the  children  may 
be  noted.  Both  the  Index  Visible  and  the  Rand  Index  may  be 
used  in  this  way. 

Figure  VI  shows  a  card  in  detail.  The  numbers  1  to  12 
on  the  visible  edge  of  the  card  represent  the  months.  When  a 
child  has  been  visited  the  agent  slips  a  metal  signal  on  the  card 
over  the  number  of  the  month  in  which  the  visit  was  made.  By 
following  these  signals  it  is  possible  to  see  at  a  glance  how  recently 
each  child  has  been  visited.  It  is  impossible,  with  this  device, 
to  neglect  a  child  inadvertently,  because  the  signals  at  once  call 
attention  to  children  who  have  not  been  visited. 

152 


Figure  V.     Desk  Index 

Courtesy  of  The  Rand  Company,  North  Tonawanda,  New  York 

The  Index  Visible  has  detached  strips  and  desk  racks  holding  one 

or  more  strips,  which  may  be  used  in  a  similar  way. 


Figure  VI.    Detail  of  Desk  Index 


MAKING    RECORDS    AVAILABLE 


/^le7N\/' 

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'yS 

Surname 

Man's  Full  Name 

No. 

Date 
Address 

Woman's  Full  Name                     Maiden  Name 

Record 

RELA. 

NAME 

AGE 

CHURCH 

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Library  Furcav  U85179 

Form  No.  51.     Registration  Card  of  Foster  Home 

New  England  Home  for  Little  Wanderers,  Boston 

(Size  3K  x  6  inches) 

153 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

By  attaching  different  kinds  and  colors  of  signals  to  the 
sides  of  the  cards,  it  is  possible  to  indicate  other  facts.  For 
example,  a  visitor  may  wish  to  send  a  supply  of  clothing  to  a 
child.  She  puts  a  red  signal  on  his  card  as  a  reminder,  taking 
it  off  when  the  package  has  been  sent.  Or  she  puts  a  blue  signal 
on  the  card  to  remind  her  of  a  child  who  may  be  sick  and  in 
need  of  special  attention. 

SIGNALS 

Metal  signals  may  be  had  in  a  number  of  different  styles 
and  colors.  They  are  easily  attached  and  do  not  come  off  readily 
with  ordinary  handling.  The  signals  may  be  used  to  show  any 
set  of  facts  which  an  organization  wishes  to  have  displayed. 
For  example,  an  institution  may  wish  to  be  able  to  see  at  a  glance 
which  children  are  having  their  board  paid  by  relatives.  A  signal 
may  be  attached  to  the  index  cards  of  these  children  to  indicate 
this.  Signals  of  a  different  color  could  be  used  to  show  city  cases, 
and  so  on. 

Signals  of  the  same  color  should  be  placed  in  the  same  rela- 
tive position  on  the  cards,  so  that  they  will  fall  in  a  straight  line 
in  the  file.  This  may  be  done  more  easily  if  the  top  edge  of  the 
card  is  spaced  at  regular  intervals.  The  spacing  may  be  done 
when  the  cards  are  printed.  Form  45  (page  134)  shows  an  index 
card  so  spaced,  with  metal  signals  attached.  Figures  V  and  VI, 
opposite  page  1 52,  also  illustrate  the  use  of  signals. 

Instead  of  metal  signals,  which  sometimes  make  the  index 
topheavy  if  a  large  number  of  cards  are  tagged,  special  cards 
with  tabs  may  be  had  to  indicate  certain  facts  which  the  agency 
wishes  always  to  have  shown.  For  example,  Form  51  is  used 
by  the  New  England  Home  for  Little  Wanderers  in  Boston  for 
registering  foster  homes.  The  letters  on  the  tabs  indicate  the 
six  New  England  states.  If  a  foster  home  is  located  in  Maine, 
all  the  tabs  except  "Me."  are  cut  off;  if  in  Vermont,  the  "V" 
is  left.  When  the  cards  are  filed,  the  tabs  of  all  the  cards  for 
each  state  will  be  in  a  line,  and  it  is  a  simple  matter  in  look- 
ing through  the  index  to  pick  out  the  cards  referring  to  homes 
in  any  particular  state. 

154 


MAKING    RECORDS    AVAILABLE 

PROTECTION  OF  RECORDS 
The  question  of  protecting  records  from  loss,  misuse,  or 
from  fire  by  keeping  them  in  a  safe  or  vault  is  an  important  one, 
although  comparatively  few  organizations  have  any  provision 
of  this  kind.  It  is  not  practicable  for  many  agencies  to  arrange 
for  the  keeping  of  all  records  in  a  safe,  but  certainly  every  pre- 
caution should  be  taken  to  safeguard  such  information  as  would 
make  it  possible  to  reconstruct  the  records  of  an  organization  in 
case  they  should  be  destroyed.  The  register,  at  least,  or  its 
equivalent,  should  be  kept  in  a  fire-proof  safe. 

Note. — The  catalogues  of  many  of  the  large  houses  which  deal  in 
filing  supplies  are  full  of  valuable  suggestions  and  information.  Organiza- 
tions which  are  considering  installing  a  filing  system  will  find  it  profitable 
to  study  the  catalogues  of  some  of  these  firms. 


155 


CHAPTER  VIII 

ABSTRACTING  MATERIAL  FOR  ANNUAL 
REPORTS 

THE  task  of  preparing  periodical  reports  of  their  work  is 
one  which  is  not  welcomed  by  the  majority  of  superin- 
tendents or  secretaries  of  child-caring  organizations.  One 
of  the  chief  reasons  in  many  cases  why  this  work  is  so  arduous 
is  that  little  or  no  attention  is  given  to  planning  in  advance  for 
collecting  the  necessary  material.  Oftentimes,  at  the  end  of  the 
fiscal  year,  superintendents  make  their  reports  from  memory  or 
else  are  obliged  to  search  laboriously  through  many  miscellaneous 
records  for  the  data  which  they  need  and  which  they  might, 
with  a  little  planning,  have  had  at  hand.  The  result  is  that 
instead  of  containing  pertinent  material  about  the  work  of  the 
organization,  its  problems,  and  the  progress  of  the  children, 
annual  reports  often  consist  largely  of  accounts  of  Christmas 
treats  and  summer  outings,  and  acknowledgments  of  gifts  of 
money,  ice  cream,  cookies,  toys,  and  hair  ribbons.  As  one 
institution  worker  said,  "We  are  too  apt  to  prepare  essays  on 
the  subject  rather  than  report  the  results  of  work  actually  done." 
Take  a  report  of  a  typical  orphan  asylum  selected  at  ran- 
dom.    It  opens  with  this  statement: 

This  institution  has  had  a  long  and  honorable  history,  and  we 
believe  it  worthy  of  the  best  support  that  we  can  give. 

Then  follows  a  single  paragraph  about  the  life  of  the 
children: 

Though  there  has  been  sickness  among  the  children  during  the 
year,  only  one  case  caused  alarm.  Early  in  October,  one  of  the  younger 
girls  was  found  to  have  scarlet  fever.  She  was  removed  at  once  to  the 
hospital,  the  health  authorities  thoroughly  fumigated  the  house,  and  none 
of  the  others  contracted  the  disease.    Owing  to  the  sickness  of  the  teacher, 

.56 


ABSTRACTING    MATERIAL    FOR    ANNUAL    REPORTS 

it  was  thought  best  to  omit  the  usual  examination  in  June.  In  July  the 
children  once  more  enjoyed  a  visit  of  two  weeks  to  the  fresh  air  farm. 
With  much  pleasure  the  Board  heard  that  they  had  made  an  excellent 
impression,  their  example  being  considered  helpful  to  the  other  children. 
In  August  the  younger  girls  had  two  happy  weeks  at  Hollywood,  and  dur- 
ing the  summer  and  fall  many  outings  to  parks  and  suburbs  were  enjoyed 
through  the  kindness  of  Mrs.  Hill. 

The  remainder  of  the  report,  1 1  pages,  is  taken  up  with 
expressions  of  regret  over  the  death  of  a  manager,  acknowledg- 
ments of  gratuitous  service  and  of  legacies,  lists  of  contributors, 
detailed  statements  of  their  donations  in  kind  and  in  money, 
and  an  unitemized  financial  statement. 

An  article  by  Edwin  D.  Solenberger  entitled  The  Essentials 
of  an  Annual  Report*  mentions  the  following  requisites: 

i.  The  report  should  be  published  annually  and  be  a  report  of 
the  past  year's  work,  not  chiefly  a  statement  of  what  is  proposed  for  the 
future. 

2.  It  should  show  on  the  cover  page: 

The  full  corporate  name  of  the  organization. 
The  date  established  and  incorporated. 
The  exact  location  of  the  office  or  offices. 
The  full  post  office  address. 
The  exact  period  covered  by  the  report. 

3.  It  should  state  the  function  of  the  organization  in  the  com- 
munity, showing  the  classes  dealt  with,  the  terms  of  admission,  and  the 
limitations  as  to  age,  sex,  color,  physical  condition,  religion,  and  so  forth. 

4.  It  should  show: 

The  progress  of  the  organization  in  work  and  methods. 

New  features. 

Extension  of  old  lines  of  activity. 

The  co-operation  and  affiliation  with  other  organizations. 

5.  It  should  call  attention  to: 

Changing  conditions  in  the  community  which  affect  the  work 
of  the  organization. 

New  laws  affecting  child-caring  organizations. 

*  National  Conference  of  Charities  and  Corrections.  Proceedings,  1909, 
p.  361. 

157 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

6.  It  should  present  statistical  and  financial  statements  which 
are  clear,  uniform,  and  frank. 

In  conclusion,  the  article  states: 

To  sum  up,  an  annual  report  should  be  a  laboratory  record  of  the 
life  and  growth  of  the  society  or  institution  and  its  relation  to  the  com- 
munity which  it  serves. 

If  an  annual  report  is  to  be  a  "laboratory  record"  of  the 
work  of  an  organization,  the  material  for  it  must  be  systemati- 
cally collected  throughout  the  year,  and  simple  and  effective 
methods  for  coordinating  and  classifying  this  material  are 
essential. 

POPULATION  STATISTICS 

Probably  every  organization  is  required  to  make  periodical 
reports  of  its  population  statistics  to  its  board  of  trustees,  and 
in  many  cases  to  public  officials  as  well.  This  can  not  be  done 
accurately  unless  a  daily  record  of  admissions  and  discharges 
is  kept.  For  this  purpose  there  should  be  a  population  day  book 
or  daily  report  sheet.  It  should  be  kept  on  the  desk  of  the 
superintendent  or  registrar,  and  a  memorandum  should  be 
made  in  it  of  every  transaction  involving  a  child. 

A  daily  record  of  all  children  received  and  discharged, 
children  who  have  been  permitted  to  leave  temporarily  or  who 
have  returned  after  leave  of  absence,  deaths,  runaways,  and  so 
forth,  should  be  entered  in  this  book.  The  entries  should  show 
how  incoming  children  are  received,  whether  from  parents,  from 
poor  officers,  by  court  commitment,  and  so  forth ;  and  how  out- 
going children  were  disposed  of,  whether  they  were  returned  to 
their  own  homes,  or  placed  in  foster  homes,  died,  and  so  forth. 
Some  organizations  find  it  helpful  to  record  arrivals  in  black 
ink  and  departures  in  red.  Others  use  separate  pages  for  arrivals 
and  departures. 

In  a  large  institution,  where  the  record  system  is  complex 
and  the  admission  or  discharge  of  a  child  requires  the  making 
of  entries  on  several  different  cards,  the  day  book  or  daily  sheet 
may  be  ruled  to  serve  as  a  guide  in  posting.  Narrow  columns, 
headed  with  the  name  of  each  record  to  which  posting  must  be 

.58 


ABSTRACTING    MATERIAL    FOR   ANNUAL    REPORTS 

done,  may  be  ruled  off  at  the  right  edge  of  the  sheet,  and  as  the 
entries  are  posted  from  the  day  sheet  to  the  various  records,  a 
check  in  the  proper  column  indicates  that  this  has  been  done. 

With  the  help  of  the  day  book  or  daily  report  sheet,  show- 
ing individual  transactions,  accurate  summaries  of  the  move- 
ment of  population  may  be  made  up  from  day  to  day. 

As  yet  no  agreement  has  been  reached  by  child-caring 
organizations  or  supervisory  agencies  as  to  the  form  which 
should  be  followed  in  reports  of  population  statistics,  and  there 
is  wide  variation  in  the  methods  of  reporting  used  by  different 
institutions,  societies,  and  local  and  state  boards. 

In  general,  however,  it  may  be  said  that  at  the  present 
time  those  residential  institutions  which  have  the  most  com- 
plete records  usually  compile  their  population  statistics  with 
reference  to  the  residence  of  the  child  in  the  institution,  and 
their  annual  reports  cover  something  like  the  following  distri- 
bution of  cases: 

i.  Children  on  hand  beginning  year. 

2.  New  children  received  during  year. 

3.  Children  of  previous  years  returned. 

4.  Total  number  to  be  accounted  for. 

5.  Children  returned  to  parents  or  friends. 

6.  Children  placed  in  family  homes. 

7.  Children  transferred  to  other  institutions. 

8.  Children  died. 

9.  Children  otherwise  accounted  for. 

10.  Total  number  passed  from  the  institution. 

1 1.  Children  remaining  at  end  of  year. 

12.  Total  to  be  accounted  for,  as  in  line  4. 

The  most  important  children's  aid  societies — for  example, 
those  in  Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  Baltimore — 
account  annually  for  all  children  under  their  guardianship  about 
as  follows: 

1.     Children  under  guardianship  and  supervision   at   beginning  of 
year: 

(a)  In  family  homes  free. 

(b)  In  family  homes  at  board. 

159 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


(c)     Earning  wages 


(d) 

(e) 

(0 


In  their  own  homes  under  supervision. 

Under  guardianship  and  supervision  elsewhere. 

Total  under  guardianship  and  supervision  at  beginning  of 

year. 

2.  Children   received   under  guardianship   during  year: 

(a)  By  court  commitment. 

(b)  From  overseers  of  the  poor  or  other  public  officers. 

(c)  From  parents  or  guardians. 

(d)  From  other  sources. 

(e)  Total  received  during  year. 

3.  Total  to  be  accounted  for  (Sum  of  Nos.  1  and  2). 

4.  Guardianship  transferred: 

(a)  To  parents. 

(b)  To  foster  parents  by  adoption. 

(c)  To  institutions. 

(d)  Died. 

(e)  Otherwise  released  from  guardianship. 

(f)  Total  released  from  guardianship. 

5.  Children  remaining  under  guardianship  and  supervision  at  close 
of  year: 

(a)  In  family  homes  free. 

(b)  In  family  homes  at  board. 

(c)  Earning  wages. 

(d)  In  their  own  homes  under  supervision. 

(e)  Under  guardianship  and  supervision  elsewhere. 

(f)  Total  under  guardianship  and  supervision  at  close  of  year. 

6.  Total  to  be  accounted  for  (Sum  of  Nos.  4  and  5).* 

Under  this  plan  the  society  deals  with  all  children  under 
its  guardianship  as  if  they  had  been  gathered  together  in  one 
institution. 

These  societies  also  present  supplementary  statistics  show- 
ing such  facts  as  the  following: 

Number  of  applications  received  for  children. 

Number  of  homes  investigated. 

Number  of  children  placed  in  free  homes. 

*  Line  6  should  equal  line  3. 

160 


ABSTRACTING    MATERIAL    FOR   ANNUAL    REPORTS 


Number  of  children  placed  in  boarding  homes. 

Number  of  cases  referred  to  other  agencies  (specifying  the 

number  for  each  agency). 
Number  of  cases  taken  to  the  juvenile  court. 
Number  of  visits  to  children,  etc. 

The  32  children's  home  societies,  located  in  32  different 
states,  have  been  accustomed  to  publish  their  annual  statistics 
through  their  federation,  known  as  the  National  Children's 
Home  Society,  on  a  different  basis. 

Their  statistics  show  the  following  facts  for  the  32  societies 
individually  and  collectively: 

1.  Children  on  hand  beginning  of  year: 

(a)  In  the  society's  receiving  home. 

(b)  On  hand  elsewhere. 
Total  on  hand. 

2.  New  children  received  during  the  year. 

3.  Children  of  former  years  returned. 

4.  Total  different  children  to  be  accounted  for. 

5.  Children  placed  during  the  year: 

(a)  Children  placed  first  time. 

(b)  Children  replaced  (counting  no  child  twice). 
Total  children  placed  and  replaced. 

6.  Children  returned  to  parents  or  friends. 

7.  Children  placed  in  institutions. 

8.  Children  died. 

9.  Children  otherwise  disposed  of. 

10.  Total  children  passed  from  custody. 

11.  Children  on  hand  at  close  of  year. 

12.  Total  to  be  accounted  for,  as  in  line  4. 


The  children's  home  societies  are  accustomed  to  report 
the  number  of  children  under  guardianship  and  supervision  in 
family  homes  at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  and  the  number  under 
guardianship  and  supervision  in  families  at  the  close  of  the  year. 
They  are  accustomed  also  to  report  the  number  of  children  aided 
but  not  placed  in  family  homes. 

The  system  of  statistics  followed  by  children's  aid  societies 
indicates  more  completely  the  actual  work  done  than  the  system 

161 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

used  by  the  children's  home  societies.  The  guardianship  and 
supervision  of  children  is  quite  as  important  a  function  as  the 
placing  of  children  in  family  homes. 

In  recent  years  many  of  the  children's  home  societies  have 
enlarged  the  scope  of  their  work  and  have  increased  the  efficiency 
of  their  placing  and  supervision.  As  a  consequence  they  are 
feeling  the  need  of  a  more  complete  and  adequate  statistical 
plan. 

The  foregoing  summaries  are  given  merely  to  show,  in  a 
general  way,  the  methods  followed  by  institutions  and  socie- 
ties at  the  present  time.*  In  deciding  what  method  of  reporting 
it  shall  use,  an  organization  should  take  into  account  the  facts 
which  will  be  asked  for  by  the  public  supervisory  bodies  to 
which  it  may  have  to  report,  as  well  as  the  facts  which  will  be 
required  by  its  own  trustees,  and  an  outline  covering  these  facts 
should  be  made.  A  statistical  sheetf  should  then  be  drawn  up, 
with  a  column  corresponding  to  each  item  in  the  outline.  The 
figures  for  each  day  should  be  entered  on  this  sheet  and  at  the 
end  of  the  month  the  columns  may  be  totaled,  giving  the  popu- 
lation report  for  the  month  in  final  form. 

In  preparing  statistical  summaries,  care  should  be  taken 
to  avoid  ambiguous  classifications  and  to  present  statements 
in  sufficient  detail  to  permit  of  study  and  of  comparison  with 
reports  of  other  organizations.  In  almost  every  institution 
there  are  business  men  on  the  board  who  could  be  pressed 
into  service  to  plan  such  forms  should  the  superintendent  need 
their  help.  State  boards  of  charities  and  other  supervisory 
bodies  could  make  the  work  of  reporting  social  facts  much  easier 
for  the  organizations  under  their  supervision  if  they  would  sug- 
gest methods  by  means  of  which  the  officials  of  the  organizations 
could  jot  down  from  day  to  day  the  information  which  they 
require  and  total  it  at  the  end  of  each  week,  month,  or  quarter. 

Form  52  is  the  blank  upon  which  the  charitable  institutions 

*  For  statistics  of  juvenile  courts  see  Flexner,  Bernard,  and  Baldwin,  Roger 
N.:  Juvenile  Courts  and  Probation,  p.  173.     New  York,  Century  Co.,  1914. 

t  Form  54  (p.  168)  may  be  used  as  a  basis  for  such  a  sheet,  modifying  it  to 
meet  special  requirements. 

162 


ABSTRACTING    MATERIAL    FOR    ANNUAL    REPORTS 

DISTRICT   OF   COLUMBIA 


REPORT  TO  THE   BOARD  OF  CHARITIES 

For  Month  of _ _ _ _i90 

OF 


Movement  of  population  at. 


MALES .        FEMALES  TOTAL 


Present  at  close  of  last  month 

Since  admitted  (new) 

Former  inmates  returned 

Total  number  of  inmates  during  the  month- 
Discharged  from  institution  during  month 

Escaped ... 


Remaining  at  end  of  month 

Total  number  of  inmates  during  the  month  (as  above)  - 


The  number  of  days  board  furnished  was  : 

To  inmates  admitted  on  permit  of  Board  of  Charities- 
To  all  other  inmates 


Total - 


The  number  of  days  in  the  month  was The  average  number  cared  for,  therefore,  was: 

Inmates  admitted  on  permit  of  Board  of  Charities 

All  other  inmates  — 

Total  daily  average 


(Signed). 


(Official  position) 

Form  No.  52 a.     Monthly  Report  of  Children's  Institution  (Page  1) 
(Four-page  folder.     Size  of  single  page  8^xn  inches) 

163 


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164 


ABSTRACTING    MATERIAL    FOR    ANNUAL    REPORTS 

of  the  District  of  Columbia  make  their  monthly  reports  to  the 
board  of  charities.  Pages  2  and  3  of  this  blank  constitute  a 
simple  daily  sheet  for  the  record  of  admissions  and  dismissals. 
Page  1  of  this  blank  shows  the  simplest  form  of  population 
statement,  which  is  made  up  by  a  count  of  the  items  on  pages 
2  and  3. 

Form  53  is  the  blank  prescribed  by  the  Indiana  Board  of 
State  Charities  for  the  reports  of  charitable  institutions.  This 
form  is  given  to  show  the  more  elaborate  statistics  in  regard  to 
dependency  and  delinquency  which  are  now  being  collected  by 
some  of  the  states.  The  Ohio  Board  of  State  Charities  has 
recently  adopted  a  similar  blank. 

One  of  the  most  difficult  things  to  secure  from  many  organi- 
zations is  a  statement  of  their  daily  average  population.  The 
majority  of  supervisory  boards  require  reports  on  this  point, 
and  it  is  important  that  the  organizations  themselves  should 
have  this  information  as  a  basis  for  calculating  per  capita  costs. 
Form  54  shows  an  easy  method  of  obtaining  this  figure  accurately. 
From  this  sheet  it  is  possible  to  secure  the  daily  average  of 
children  and  employes  separately  or  of  children  and  employes 
together. 

To  obtain  the  total  daily  average  population  (including 
employes)  for  a  given  month,  add  the  figures  in  column  10  and 
divide  by  the  number  of  days  in  the  month.  If  the  average  num- 
ber of  children  is  required,  proceed  in  the  same  way,  using  the 
figures  in  column  5.  At  the  end  of  the  year  combine  the  totals 
from  the  monthly  sheets  and  divide  by  365  (or  366)  to  obtain 
the  average  for  the  year.  In  practice,  temporary  absences  not 
exceeding  forty-eight  hours  are  disregarded  by  most  institu- 
tions in  calculating  average  population. 

In  order  to  guard  against  errors  in  population  reports, 
institutions  should  check  up  their  statistical  sheets  at  least  once 
a  week  by  a  roll-call.    This  needs  to  be  done  more  frequently  in 
large  institutions;   in  some  institutions  it  is  done  daily. 
FINANCIAL  STATISTICS 

The  financial  reports  made  by  child-caring  agencies  vary 
almost  as  widely  as  reports  of  population.    They  range  from  lump 

165 


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167 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 


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Form  No.  54.    Attendance  Record0 

(Size  8K  x  1 1  inches) 

Juvenile  Court  of  Cook  County,  Illinois:  Report  of  a  committee  appointed  under  resolution  of  the 

Board  of  Commissioners  of  Cook  County,  bearing  date  August  8,  1911,  page  181. 


168 


ABSTRACTING    MATERIAL    FOR    ANNUAL    REPORTS 

sum  statements  to  minutely  classified  accounts  which  show 
clearly  the  sources  of  income  and  the  cost  of  operating  the  dif- 
ferent departments  of  the  organization. 

Institutions  and  societies  which  have  well-organized 
accounting  systems,  show,  as  a  rule,  in  their  income  accounts: 

i.     Funds  received  for  maintenance  from: 

(a)  Public  sources  (itemized). 

(b)  Donations,  subscriptions,  entertainments,  etc. 

(c)  Interest  on  invested  funds. 

(d)  Parents  or  friends  of  children. 

(e)  Industrial  work  (if  any). 

(f)  Miscellaneous  sources. 

2.  Funds  received  for  purposes  other  than  maintenance. 

3.  Loans  and  sales  of  securities. 

The  classifications  of  expenditures  followed  by  institutions 
and  societies  necessarily  differ  because  of  the  widely  different 
character  of  their  work. 

The  expense  accounts  of  most  of  the  large  child-placing 
societies  show: 

Salaries. 

Board  of  children  in  family  homes. 
Clothing  furnished  to  children. 
Express  charges  on  clothing. 
Medicine  and  medical  attendance. 
Traveling  expenses  of  agents  and  children. 
Advertising. 
Postage. 

Stationery  and  printing. 
Office  rent,  fuel,  and  light. 
Office  supplies. 
Furniture. 

Telephone  and  telegraph. 
Miscellaneous. 
Total. 

In  societies  where  the  executive  officer  supervises  the 
raising  of  funds,  the  cost  of  collections  and  of  propaganda  work 
often  figures  in  the  regular  financial  statement.     In  such  cases, 

169 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

these  items  should  be  carefully  designated  so  that  they  will  not 
be  confused  with  items  covering  the  actual  care  of  children. 

An  attempt  to  standardize  the  expense  accounts  of  insti- 
tutions was  made  by  the  National  Conference  of  Charities 
and  Correction  in  1906,*  and  the  following  simple  form  for  report- 
ing current  expenses  was  adopted  by  the  conference  at  that 
time  with  a  view  to  securing  more  uniform  reports  from  insti- 
tutions: 

EXPENDITURES    FOR   GIVEN    FISCAL   YEAR 
Current  expenses: 

1.  Salaries  and  wages 

2.  Clothing 

3.  Subsistence 

4.  Ordinary  repairs 

5.  Office,  domestic,  and  outdoor  depart- 

ments  (include   all  other  ordinary 

expenses) 

Extraordinary  expenses: 

New  buildings,  land,  etc.  ... 

Permanent  improvements  .... 

Grand  total 

While  this  summary  serves  as  a  basis  for  broad  compari- 
sons of  the  expenditures  of  different  institutions,  more  detailed 
classifications  are  usually  desirable  for  the  uses  of  the  institutions 
themselves. 

The  following  classification  used  by  the  Hebrew  Sheltering 
Guardian  Society  in  its  institution  at  Pleasantville,  N.  Y., 
shows  one  method  of  subdividing  these  main  headings: 

I.      Salaries  and  Wages: 

(a)  General  salaries  and  wages 

(b)  School  teachers'  salaries 

(c)  Vocational  teachers'  salaries 

(d)  Medical  salaries 

(e)  Special  musical  instruction 

Total 

II.      Food  and  Provisions: 

(a)  Meat 

(b)  Milk 

*  National  Conference  of  Charities  and  Correction,  Proceedings,  1906, 
p.  417. 

170 


ABSTRACTING    MATERIAL    FOR    ANNUAL    REPORTS 


(c)  Butter  and  cheese 

(d)  Eggs 

(e)  Groceries 

(f)  Vegetables      . 

(g)  Bread      .       . 

Total 

III.    Clothing,  Shoes,  etc.: 

(a)  Clothing 

(b)  Dry  goods 

(c)  Shoes  and  leather  . 

(d)  Sewing  room  salaries 

(e)  Shoemakers'  salaries 

Total 


IV.  Fuel  and  Light: 

(a)  Coal 

(b)  Cartage 

Total 

V.  Miscellaneous: 

(a)  Medical  supplies 

(b)  Educational  supplies 

(c)  Housecleaning  supplies  and  soaps,  starches,  etc. 

(d)  House  furnishings 

(e)  Stationery  and  printing 

(f)  Postage 

(g)  Insurance       

(h)  Telephones 

(i)  Freight,  cartage,  etc 

(j)  Material  for  repairs 

(k)  Salaries  for  repairs 

(1)  Not  classified 

Total 


Total  expenditure 

Per  capita  cost 

Last  month's  expenditure 

Last  month's  per  capita  cost 

The  following  classification,  which  was  adopted  by  a  num- 
ber of  hospitals  in  New  York  City  in  1906,  shows  a  method  of 
accounting  by  departments.* 

*  New  York  Society  for  the  Relief  of  the  Ruptured  and  Crippled.  Report 
for  year  ending  September  30,  19 13,  pp.  10-12. 

See  also  Forms  of  Hospital  Financial  Reports  and  Statistics.  New  York, 
Presbyterian  Hospital. 

171 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

STATEMENT   OF   OPERATING    EXPENSES    FOR   YEAR    ENDING- 

Administration  Expenses: 

Salaries,  Officers  and  Clerks 

Office  Expenses 

Telephone  and  Telegraph 

Stationery,  Printing  and  Postage 

Total  Administration  Expenses 

Professional  Care  of  Patients 
Salaries  and  Wages: 

Physicians 

Supt.  of  Nurses  and  Nurses 

Special  Nurses 

Ward  Employees 

Dispensary: 

Salaries  and  Labor 

Supplies 

Medical  and  Surgical  Supplies: 

Apparatus  and  Instruments 

Medical  Supplies 

Surgical  Supplies 

Alcohol,  Liquor,  Wines,  etc 

Brace  Shop: 

Salaries  and  Labor 

Salaries  and  Labor — Sewing  Room 

Supplies 

Total  Professional  Care  of  Patients 

Department  Expenses 
Pathological  Laboratory: 

Salary 

Supplies 

Photography: 

Salary 

Supplies 

Housekeeping: 

Salaries  and  Labor 

Supplies 

Kitchen: 

Labor     

Supplies 

Laundry: 

Labor     

Supplies 

I72 


ABSTRACTING    MATERIAL    FOR    ANNUAL    REPORTS 
DEPARTMENT   EXPENSES  (continued) 

Steward's  Department: 

Labor,  Provisions        .       .    • 

Bread 

Milk  and  Cream 

Groceries 

Butter  and  Eggs 

Fruit  and  Vegetables 

Meat,  Poultry  and  Fish 

Miscellaneous 

Total  Department  Expenses 

General  House  and  Property  Expenses 

Gas 

Electric  Lighting 

Fuel,  Oil  and  Waste 

Maintenance,  Real  Estate  and  Buildings 

Maintenance,  Machinery  and  Tools 

Plumbing,  Steam  Fitting,  Gas 

ice 

Insurance  

Total  General  House  and  Property  Expenses        .... 

"      Administration  Expenses 

"      Professional  Care  of  Patients 

Department  Expenses 

Total  Operating  Expenses 

Corporation  and  Other  Current  Expenses: 

Salaries 

Stationery,  Printing  and  Postage 

Legal  Expenses 

Loans     

Insurance      

Taxes 

Accrued  Interest 

Miscellaneous 

Total  Corporation  Expenses 

Grand  Total  Current  Expenses 

This  scheme  could  easily  be  adapted  to  the  work  of  chil- 
dren's homes  by  changing  the  subdivision  "Professional  Care 
of  Patients"  to  read  "Care  of  Children,"  which  would  include: 

Education. 

Medical  care. 

Recreation. 

Clothing,  shoes,  etc. 

173 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

Each  of  these  headings  should  be  subdivided  to  show 
salaries  and  materials  or  supplies. 

When  institutions  carry  on  industrial  work  or  operate 
farms,  the  accounts  should  show  the  gross  income  from  each 
industry  and  the  total  cost  of  carrying  it  on. 

In  small  institutions,  sharp  departmental  lines  can  not 
always  be  drawn,  and  it  is  unnecessary  and  impractical  to 
attempt  an  elaborate  classification  of  expenditures  such  as  is 
desirable  in  a  large  institution,  where  it  is  important  to  have  a 
check  on  the  different  departments. 

For  a  discussion  of  principles  and  methods  of  accounting, 
organizations  should  consult  one  or  more  of  the  many  authorities 
on  this  subject,  or  secure  the  services  of  expert  accountants  to 
install  systems  adapted  to  their  work.  A  book  entitled  Cost 
Accounting  for  Institutions,  by  William  Morse  Cole,*  discusses 
the  principles  of  cost  accounting  and  should  be  helpful  to  insti- 
tutions interested  in  this  subject. 

MISCELLANEOUS  MATERIAL 
Many  other  important  items  which  might  be  advan- 
tageously utilized  in  annual  reports  or  in  other  published  state- 
ments are  often  forgotten  in  the  rush  of  daily  work.  To  prevent 
this  loss  a  small  desk  index  for  memoranda  is  invaluable.  A 
canvas  box  5^  inches  wide,  3^  inches  deep,  and  3^  inches 
high,  will  serve  this  purpose.  Memorandum  pads  with  sheets 
3x5  inches  may  be  used  for  making  notes  to  be  filed  in  this  box. 
The  superintendent  may  find  it  helpful,  in  addition,  to  carry  a 
pocket  note  book,  with  loose  leaf  pages  3x5  inches  which  may 
be  taken  out  and  filed  in  this  box.  By  means  of  division  guides 
the  memoranda  may  be  classified  as  they  are  filed,  so  that 
matters  relating  to  the  children,  the  institution  plant,  adminis- 
tration, and  so  forth,  will  be  in  separate  groups,  ready  for  use. 

Note:  Several  papers  on  Statistics  are  to  be  found  in  the  Pro- 
ceedings of  the  National  Conference  of  Charities  and  Correction  for 
1906  (pages  412-444),  which  will  be  of  value  to  persons  who  are  interested 

*  Cole,  William  Morse:  Cost  Accounting  for  Institutions.  New  York, 
Ronalds  Press  Co.,  1913. 

'74 


ABSTRACTING   MATERIAL    FOR   ANNUAL   REPORTS 

in  the  improvement  of  social  statistics.  They  indicate  ways  in  which 
statistics  may  be  of  use  to  social  organizations,  to  individuals,  and  to  the 
community  as  a  whole;  they  point  out  some  of  the  defects  in  existing 
social  statistics,  and  suggest  some  fundamental  requirements  for  the 
building  up  of  a  body  of  scientific  facts  relating  to  social  questions. 
These  papers  have  a  special  significance  as  coming  from  practical  social 
workers,  who  recognize  that  statistics  play  an  important  part  in  the 
solution  of  social  problems. 


175 


CHAPTER  IX 

HOW  TO  SECURE  GOOD  INVESTIGATIONS 
AND  RECORDS 

IN  devising  a  scheme  of  record  keeping  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  no  plan,  however  admirable,  can  operate  itself, 
and  that  trained  and  efficient  visitors  and  record  clerks 
are  required  if  the  records  of  child-caring  organizations  are  to 
serve  the  purposes  which  have  been  discussed. 

A  remark  made  by  President  Hadley  of  Yale  in  commenting 
upon  safety  signals  on  railroads,  applies  equally  well  to  the  work 
of  record  keeping.     He  said: 

"The  more  and  the  better  safety  appliances  we  have,  the 
more  we  are  impressed  with  the  need  of  more  and  better  trained 
men  to  use  them.  .  .  .  We  hear  talk  of  eliminating  the  human 
factor  and  making  safety  arrangements  which  shall  be  wholly 
and  entirely  automatic.  The  human  factor  can  never  be 
eliminated."* 

To  secure  efficient  investigations,  well-kept  records,  and 
sound  interpretation  of  facts  is,  however,  a  difficult  problem 
for  many  organizations  at  the  present  time.  When  an  institu- 
tion or  a  society  has  learned  from  experience  that  investigations 
and  record  keeping  make  for  economy  and  efficiency,  they  regard 
expenditures  for  these  purposes  as  a  legitimate  part  of  their 
regular  budget. f  When,  however,  boards  of  trustees  or  public 
officials  are  unwilling  or  perhaps  unable  to  employ  trained 
persons  for  this  work,  it  is  necessary  to  consider  how  this  service 

*  New  York  Times,  December  13,  1913. 

fThe  Secretary  of  the  Children's  Mission  of  Boston,  in  his  report  for  1913 
(page  17),  states:  "We  aim  to  spend  as  much  as  possible  of  our  income  for  the 
actual  requirements  of  the  children  in  charge,  yet  child-helping  is  now  a  science, 
and  it  is  economy  to  employ  the  highest  grade  of  service  attainable.  Much  of  the 
money  spent  for  salaries  brings  in  return,  through  our  preventive  work,  better 
ordered  households,  obviating  the  necessity  for  the  children  to  come  to  us." 

.76 


HOW   TO    SECURE    GOOD    RECORDS 

may  be  secured  by  child-caring  agencies  at  a  cost  which  will 
not  be  prohibitive.  A  number  of  plans  suggest  themselves,  some 
of  which  are  in  successful  operation. 

In  adopting  a  plan  it  should  always  be  remembered  that 
methods  which  are  practical  and  acceptable  in  one  locality  are 
often  quite  unsuited  to  another,  and  that  the  method  followed 
in  any  given  place  should  be  determined  only  after  a  thoughtful 
study  of  the  social  machinery,  the  peculiar  needs,  and  the 
resources  of  the  community. 

TRAINING  OF  WORKERS 

If  an  organization  wishes  to  employ  special  workers,  trained 
persons  can  usually  be  found  through  some  strong,  well-organized 
children's  agency,  or  selected  persons  may  be  sent  to  such  an 
agency  for  training  before  beginning  work.* 

There  are  also  schools  of  philanthropy  or  social  service  in 
Chicago,  New  York,  Boston,  and  several  other  cities,  which 
prepare  students  to  take  up  social  work  through  regular  courses 
extending  over  two  years.  These  schools  also  conduct  insti- 
tutes during  the  summer  which  aim  to  bring  practical  workers 
together  for  the  purpose  of  interchanging  information  and 
ideas.  Special  classes  in  social  service  have  been  established 
in  many  cities  in  connection  with  colleges  and  universities  or 
charity  organization  societies. 

CO-OPERATION  OF  AGENCIES 
Some  division  of  labor  is  desirable  in  the  work  of  investi- 
gation and  record  keeping  if  the  best  results  are  to  be  secured. 
Often  the  most  successful  visitors  do  not  make  good  record 
clerks  and  many  of  the  best  record  clerks  would  be  failures  as 
investigators.  Visitors  should  understand  the  essentials  of 
good  records  as  a  basis  for  making  proper  reports  of  their  work, 
but  they  should  not  be  burdened  with  the  clerical  details  if 

*  The  Boston  Children's  Aid  Society  is  willing  to  train  persons  for  this 
work.  The  time  required  would  vary  from  a  few  months  to  a  year  and  a  half, 
according  to  the  ability  and  experience  of  the  worker.  The  Children's  Aid  Society 
of  Pennsylvania  is  also  willing  to  do  this,  and  there  are  doubtless  other  organiza- 
tions which  would  consider  it. 

177 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

this  can  be  avoided.  There  should  also  be  a  more  general  appreci- 
ation on  the  part  of  managers  of  the  amount  of  time  required 
for  the  clerical  part  of  record  keeping,  and  of  the  increased 
efficiency  which  results  from  having  this  work  thoroughly  done. 

Because  of  the  special  training  needed  for  investigation 
and  record  keeping  and  the  consequent  expense,  it  is  often 
impossible  for  small  organizations  to  afford  special  workers, 
and  in  many  cases  the  full  time  of  such  persons  would  not  be 
required.  Some  degree  of  co-operation,  therefore,  seems  desir- 
able for  small  organizations,  and  many  of  the  larger  institutions 
and  societies  believe  that  it  is  more  economical  and  satisfactory 
to  combine  in  this  part  of  their  work. 

In  Philadelphia,  three  of  the  large  child-helping  agencies, 
the  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Children,  the 
Children's  Aid  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  Seybert  Insti- 
tution, maintain  jointly  a  Children's  Bureau*  which  investigates 
the  home  of  every  child  for  whom  care  is  asked  and  files  a  com- 
plete record  of  the  facts  in  each  case.  After  the  investigation 
is  made,  the  Children's  Bureau  refers  the  child  to  the  proper 
agency.  If,  for  example,  the  child  needs  a  foster  home,  he  is 
sent  to  the  Children's  Aid  Society;  if  the  case  is  one  of  cruelty 
and  neglect,  to  the  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to 
Children,  and  so  on.  When  a  child  is  referred  by  the  Children's 
Bureau  a  digest  of  the  record  of  his  family  history  is  sent  to 
the  organization  which  receives  him.  If  further  information 
is  desired  by  the  organization,  it  has  access  to  the  complete 
record  on  file  in  the  Children's  Bureau. 

The  services  of  the  Bureau  in  Philadelphia  are  not  limited 
to  the  three  societies  which  maintain  it.  Other  agencies  in  the 
community  are  at  liberty  to  use  it,  and  many  children's  insti- 
tutions   have    applications    looked    up    through    the    Bureau's 

*  Fourteen  other  organizations  contribute  small  sums  toward  the  mainte- 
nance of  the  Children's  Bureau  and  are  represented  on  its  management.  For 
further  information  about  the  development  of  the  Children's  Bureau,  see  annual 
reports  of  the  Children's  Aid  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  1908  to  1913,  inclusive;  also, 
Proceedings  of  the  Fifth  Maryland  Conference  of  Charities  and  Corrections,  Nov., 
1909,  "The  Coordination  of  Children's  Agencies,"  by  E.  D.  Solenberger,  pp.  154- 
165. 

178 


HOW   TO    SECURE   GOOD    RECORDS 

agents  before  receiving  children.  In  Baltimore,  the  Bureau  of 
Information  and  Advice  renders  a  similar  service  to  a  number 
of  child-caring  organizations  in  the  city.  In  Boston,  a  plan  is 
being  considered  for  establishing  a  Joint  Application  and  Investi- 
gation Bureau,  a  Joint  Medical  Service  Bureau,  and  a  Joint 
Home  Finding  Bureau.* 

In  some  cities  there  are  charity  organization  societies,  with 
trained  visitors  and  record  clerks,  which  are  willing  to  investi- 
gate and  report  upon  cases  for  institutions.  Some  institutions, 
however,  are  unwilling  to  allow  another  agency  to  make  investi- 
gations for  them,  because  they  claim  that  outside  organizations 
are  likely  to  take  less  pains  with  cases  referred  by  institutions 
in  which  they  are  not  directly  interested.  Where  this  difficulty 
occurs,  there  are  ways  by  which  it  could  probably  be  overcome. 
For  example,  several  institutions  could  combine  to  employ  a 
special  visitor,  who  could  work  in  conjunction  with  the  charity 
organization  society,  and  be  under  the  direction  of  a  children's 
committee  composed  of  a  representative  from  the  society  and 
one  from  each  of  the  institutions  for  which  the  visitor  is  to  make 
investigations.  The  interests  of  the  institutions  would  be  safe- 
guarded in  this  way  and  at  the  same  time  they  would  have  the 
benefits  which  would  accrue  from  direct  and  close  contact  with 
the  charity  organization  society. 

Where,  for  special  reasons,  it  might  not  be  considered 
desirable  for  the  visitor  to  work  in  direct  conjunction  with  the 
society,  or  where  no  such  agency  exists  in  the  community,  the 
visitor  could  work  independently,  under  a  committee  com- 
posed of  representatives  of  the  several  co-operating  institutions. 

If  the  institution  can  not  afford  a  special  visitor  and  no 
co-operative  plan  is  possible,  the  making  of  investigations  and 
the  keeping  of  records  should  be  regarded  as  the  major  part 
of  the  duties  of  the  person  to  whom  they  are  assigned,  and 
should  take  precedence  over  other  duties  of  that  person. 

Even  though  child-caring  organizations  do  not  co-operate 
in  the  actual  work  of  investigation  and  record  keeping,  they 
should  at  least  co-operate  to  the  extent  of  learning,  before  pass- 

*  Boston  Children's  Aid  Society.    Annual  Report,  1913,  pp.  10-14. 
179 


RECORD    KEEPING    FOR    CHILD-HELPING    ORGANIZATIONS 

ing  upon  an  application,  whether  or  not  that  applicant  is  known 
to  other  social  agencies  in  the  community.  This  may  be  done 
in  many  places  through  what  is  known  as  a  "confidential  ex- 
change" or  "joint  registration  bureau,"  such  as  is  found  in 
Pittsburgh,  Baltimore,  Boston,  and  many  other  cities.  It  is 
one  of  the  simplest  and  at  the  same  time  one  of  the  most  helpful 
forms  of  co-operation. 

The  latest  annual  report  of  the  Children's  Mission  of 
Boston  states: 

The  most  important  form  of  co-operation,  however,  has  been  the 
central  registration  of  all  applications  with  the  Confidential  Exchange 
conducted  by  the  Associated  Charities.  This  has  absolutely  prevented 
the  duplication  of  work  by  those  agencies  which  register,  and  by  bring- 
ing prompt  and  detailed  information  to  investigators  has  saved  both 
them  and  the  applicants  much  delay  and  annoyance.* 

By  this  plan,  all  of  the  agencies  which  agree  to  co-operate 
in  a  locality  where  a  confidential  exchange  is  established,  register 
with  the  exchange  the  name  of  every  applicant,  with  enough 
identifying  information  to  distinguish  him  from  other  persons 
of  the  same  name.  In  return,  every  agency  which  registers  or 
inquires  about  an  applicant  learns  from  the  exchange  to  what 
other  agencies  in  the  community  the  applicant  is  known. 

Miss  Margaret  F.  Byington,  in  a  pamphlet  which  describes 
in  detail  the  methods  and  purposes  of  the  Confidential  Exchange,! 
shows  its  value  in  eliminating  the  evil  of  investigating  the  same 
family  over  and  over  again,  and  the  evils  which  result  when 
independent  agencies  give  contradictory  advice  to  a  family 
because  they  do  not  know  what  other  institutions  and  societies 
have  been  doing  for  the  family  and  why.  She  mentions  the  help 
which  the  Exchange  may  be  to  agencies  which  have  no  special 
visitors,  its  value  to  the  applicants  themselves,  and  its  usefulness 
as  a  time  saver. 

In  small  communities  where  no  confidential  exchange 
exists  and  where  the  agencies  are  few,  it  is  always  possible  for 

*  Children's  Mission  to  Children,  Boston.     Annual  Report,  1913,  p.  15. 
t  Byington,  Margaret  F.:  The  Confidential  Exchange.     Pamphlet.     New 
York,  Charity  Organization  Department  of  the  Russell  Sage  Foundation,  1912. 

180 


HOW   TO   SECURE   GOOD   RECORDS 

an  institution  or  society  to  have  a  list  of  other  charitable  organi- 
zations in  the  vicinity  and  to  inquire  by  telephone  whether  an 
applicant  is  known  to  them  before  making  important  decisions. 


181 


CONCLUSION 

AS  has  been  pointed  out,  there  is  wide  diversity  in  standards 
L\  and  methods  of  record  keeping  among  child-caring 
X  V  agencies,  and  a  consequent  lack  of  adequate  social  infor- 
mation by  which  to  shape  policies  and  test  results.  The  impor- 
tance of  records,  however,  is  being  more  and  more  recognized, 
and  child-caring  organizations  everywhere  are  coming  to  see 
that  they  are  not  mere  routine  and  red  tape  for  purposes  which 
have  no  direct  relationship  to  the  children,  but  that  they  are 
vital  human  documents  which  have  an  immediate,  practical 
bearing  upon  child  and  community  welfare.  With  the  increasing 
co-operation  of  children's  institutions  and  societies  and  various 
state  and  national  organizations  interested  in  work  for  children, 
a  gradual  trend  toward  greater  uniformity  and  higher  standards 
in  record  keeping  may  be  expected. 

As  records  become  more  uniform  and  better  standardized, 
however,  constant  watchfulness  will  be  necessary  in  order  that 
they  may  be  made  sensitive  indices  of  human  conditions  and  not 
degenerate  into  perfunctory  inventories  of  dead  facts.  The 
best  record  forms  of  today  may  fail  to  reflect  the  new  develop- 
ments and  changed  conditions  of  tomorrow,  and  a  slavish  ad- 
herence to  outworn  forms  defeats  the  chief  purposes  of  social 
record  keeping.  The  ultimate  ends  which  records  are  to  serve 
in  the  care  and  treatment  of  individual  children  and  in  large 
social  movements  should  always  be  kept  in  mind,  and  old  forms 
and  methods  should  give  place  to  new  and  better  ones  as  experi- 
ence indicates  the  need  of  change. 


182 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


BOOKS   AND    PAMPHLETS 


Ayres,  Leonard  P.:  Laggards  in  Our  Schools.  New  York,  Charities 
Publication  Committee,  1909. 

Bryant,  Louise  S.:  School  Feeding,  Its  History  and  Practice  at  Home  and 
Abroad.    Philadelphia,  J.  B.  Lippincott  Co.,  1913. 

Byington,  Margaret  F.:  Confidential  Exchange.  Pamphlet.  New  York, 
Charity  Organization  Department  of  the  Russell  Sage  Foundation, 
1912. 

Byington,  Margaret  F.:  What  Social  Workers  Should  Know  About 
Their  Own  Communities.  Pamphlet.  New  York,  Charity  Organi- 
zation Department  of  the  Russell  Sage  Foundation,  191 1. 

Cole,  William  Morse:  Cost  Accounting  for  Institutions.  New  York, 
Ronalds  Press  Co.,  191 3. 

Devine,  Edward  T.:  Misery  and  Its  Causes.    New  York,  Macmillan,  1909. 

Flexner,  Bernard,  and  Baldwin,  Roger  N.:  Juvenile  Courts  and  Proba- 
tion.   New  York,  Century  Co.,  1914. 

Folks,  Homer:  Care  of  Destitute,  Neglected  and  Delinquent  Children. 
New  York,  Macmillan,  1902. 

Hart,  Hastings  H.:  Preventive  Treatment  of  Neglected  Children.  New 
York,  Survey  Associates,  1910. 

Reeder,  Rudolph  R.:  How  Two  Hundred  Children  Live  and  Learn. 
New  York,  Charities  Publication  Committee,  191 1. 

Sears,  Amelia:  The  Charity  Visitor.  Pamphlet.  Chicago,  School  of 
Civics  and  Philanthropy,  191 3. 

ARTICLES    AND    REPORTS 

Conference  on  the  Care  of  Dependent  Children  held  at  Washington, 
D.  C,  January  25-26,  1909.  Proceedings.  Washington,  Gov- 
ernment   Printing  Office,  1909. 

Forms  of  Hospital  Financial  Reports  and  Statistics.  New  York,  Presby- 
terian Hospital. 

Juvenile  Court  of  Cook  County,  Illinois.  Report  of  a  Committee  ap- 
pointed under  resolution  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners  of  Cook 
County,  August  8,  191 1.  (Contains  descriptions  and  illustrations 
of  record  forms  recommended  by  the  Committee.) 

185 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Instructions  to  Enumerators.    Bureau  of  the  Census,  1910. 

Menace  of  the  Feeble-minded  in  Massachusetts.  Boston,  Massachusetts 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Children,  May,  19 13. 

New  York  State  Board  of  Charities;  Forty-seventh  Annual  Report,  191 3. 
(Contains  an  outline  of  the  work  of  the  recently  established  Bureau 
of  Analysis  and   Investigation.) 

Pear,  William  H.:  Full  Measure  of  Responsibility.  National  Conference 
of  Charities  and  Correction,  Proceedings,  1906,  pp.  96-106. 
Reprinted  in  Hart,  Hastings  H.:  Preventive  Treatment  of 
Neglected  Children,  pp.  137-145.  New  York,  Charities  Publica- 
tion Committee,  191  o. 

Report  of  the  Committee  on  Uniform  Records  and  Reports.  Washington, 
U.  S.  Bureau  of  Education,  Bulletin  No.  3,  Whole  Number 
471,  1912. 

Report  of  the  Conference  Held  in  St.  Louis,  May  2-3,  1912.  New  York, 
Federation  of  Day  Nurseries.  (Contains  statistical  forms  pub- 
lished by  the  Federation.) 

Smith,  Theodate  L.:  Development  of  Psychological  Clinics  in  the  United 
States.    Pedagogical  Seminary,  March,  1914,  p.  143. 

Solenberger,  Edwin  D.:  Records  of  Child-placing  Agencies.  National 
Conference  of  Charities  and  Correction,  Proceedings,  1910,  pp. 
123-131. 


186 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Addresses:  importance  of,  122-123; 
of  relatives,  employers,  etc.,  in 
family  records,  22-24 

Adoption  :  records  of,  123-124 

Agents'  Reports.  See  Visitors' 
Reports 

Agreement  with  Foster  Parents  : 
form  used  by  State  Charities 
Aid  Association,  101,  105 

Albany  Orphan  Asylum  :  register 
used  by,  6,  7 

Allegheny  County  Training  and 
Industrial  School  for  Boys. 
See  Thorn  Hill  School 

American  Pediatric  Society,  63 

Annual  Report:  abstracting  mate- 
rial for,  156-175;  essentials  of, 
article  on,  157-158;  inadequate, 
example  of,  156-157;  indexing 
items  for,  174-175 ;  should  be 
"laboratory  record,"  158 

Application  Blanks  :  for  persons 
wishing  to  take  children,  73-82 

Application  Blanks  for  Admis- 
sion: careful  formulation  im- 
portant, 21-22;  features  essen- 
tial for,  21-22;  illustration  of, 
19-20;  use  of,  18,  21-22;  value 
of,  difference  of  opinion  con- 
cerning, 18,  21 

Ayres,  Leonard  P. :  quoted,  64 

Book  Index  :  limitations  of,  132 

Boston  Children's  Aid  Society: 
family  history  blank  used  by, 
25-26;  report  on  joint  service, 
179;  research  department  of, 
131 

Boston  Children's  Mission.  See 
Children's  Mission  to  Children 

i! 


British  Anthropometric  Associa- 
tion, 62,  63 

Brooklyn  Children's  Aid  Society  : 
index  card  of  placed-out  child, 
151 

Bryant,  Louise  S. :  quoted  on 
height  and  weight  tests,  61-63 

Byington,  Margaret  F. :  The  Con- 
fidential Exchange,  180;  What 
Social  Workers  Should  Know 
about  Their  Own  Communities, 
129 

Cabinets.    See  Files 

Card  System  :  most  effective  method 
of  record  keeping,  5 

Cards  :  colored,  142 ;  convenient 
sizes  for,  142 

Case  Committee:  importance  of,  in 
placing-out  work,  70 

Child,  Personal  Needs  of:  infor- 
mation for  determining,  41-69 

Child  Welfare:  value  of  careful 
records  in  work  of,  xi 

Child-caring  Organizations  :  co- 
operation among  essential,  18 ; 
examples  of  poor  records  kept 
by,  1-5 ;  records  of,  vitally  im- 
portant to  their  wards,  xi,  xii,  1 ; 
selection  of  wards  according  to 
facilities  for  care,  41-42 ;  statis- 
tics of,  compiling,  158-174 

Children:  feeble-minded,  evil  of 
placing  without  examination, 
70-71 ;  identity  of,  importance 
of  records  in  proving,  1-9;  kind 
of  care  needed  should  be  as- 
certained, 41 ;  placed-out,  in- 
dexes of,  135,  148,  149-151,  152; 
placed-out,  supervision  of,  70- 
111 ;   receiving  of,  information 


INDEX 


Children  (continued) 

for  deciding,  10-40;  records  of, 
importance  of  preserving,  xi, 
xii,  I ;  safeguarding  of,  in  plac- 
ing-out  work,  70  ff . ;  where- 
abouts of,  records  should  show, 
1-9.    See  also  Wards 

Children's  Aid  Society  of  Penn- 
sylvania: agent's  report  of 
placement  of  child,  100-110; 
agent's  report  of  removal  of 
child,  111;  and  the  Children's 
Bureau,  178;  clothing  requisi- 
tion form,  100;  form  letters  to 
pastor  and  teacher,  96,  97;  in- 
dex card  of  foster  home,  146; 
of  placed-out  child,  149,  150; 
pastor's  report,  95;  report  of 
visit  to  placed-out  child,  91-92 

Children's  Bureau,  Philadelphia  : 
agencies  co-operating  in,  178; 
family  history  blank  used  by, 
25-26 

Children's  Code,  Ohio.  See  Ohio 
Children's  Code 

Children's  Home  Societies  :  report 
through  National  Children's 
Home  Society,  161-162 

Children's  Mission  to  Children, 
Boston:  blanks  used  in  plac- 
ing-out  children,  73~76,  89,  90, 
98;  medical  and  dental  report 
to,  98;  on  economy  of  best  ser- 
vice, 176;  on  importance  of 
confidential  exchange,  180;  re- 
viewing of  case  records  by, 
121-122 

Classification:  importance  of,  in 
child-caring  work,  41-42;  in 
financial  reports,  169,  170-174 

Cleveland  Humane  Society:  rec- 
ommendation blank  used  by,  77, 
83 

Clinics:  and  the  juvenile  courts, 
131 

Clinics,  Psychological.  See  Psy- 
chological Clinics 

Clothing  Record:  forms  for,  98- 
100 


Commitment  of  Wards.  See  Ward s 

Conduct  Records,  64-66,  68 

Confidential  Exchange:  value  of, 
180-181 

Continuation  Records.  See  Rec- 
ords 

Cook  County,  Illinois,  Juvenile 
Court:  attendance  record  of  a 
children's  institution,  blank  for, 
165,  168 

Co-operation:  among  child-caring 
agencies,  importance  of,  18, 
126-131,  177-181 

Correspondence.    See  Letters 
Cross  Referencing:  in  card  index, 
136-137 

Dates:  in  records,  importance  of 
accuracy,  114 

Death  :  of  wards,  records  of,  123- 
124 

Defectiveness  :  prevention  of,  rec- 
ords an  aid  in,  125 

Delinquency:  prevention  of,  rec- 
ords an  aid  in,  125 

Dental  Examination:  forms  used 
in,  51-54;  importance  of,  43, 
44;  report  of,  98 

Dependency  :  prevention  of,  records 
an  aid  in,  125 

Desertion  Act,  Massachusetts  : 
co-operation  of  organizations 
in  securing,  126-127 

Devine,  Edward  T. :  quoted,  125 

Dietary  :  weight  and  height  rec- 
ords as  tests  of,  56,  61-63 

District  of  Columbia  Board  of 
Charities:  monthly  report  of 
children's  institutions,  163-164, 
165 

Edsall,  David,  M.D.,  63 

Efficiency  Records,  64-66,  68 

Employers:  addresses  of  in  family 
history  records,  22,  23;  impor- 
tance  of  interviewing,  114-116 


190 


INDEX 


Expenditures  :  classification  of,  169, 
170-174 

Expense  Accounts  :  forms  for,  101, 
102,  103,  104;  kept  by  children, 
value  of,  67,  69;  of  institutions, 
attempts  to  standardize,  170- 
174.  See  also  Financial  Statis- 
tics 

Face  Card  :  items  to  be  included  on, 
120 

Family  Histories  :  essential  items 
in  records  of,  22-24 ;  example  of 
poor  and  of  adequate  records 
of,  11-18;  importance  of  high 
standards  in  recording,  39-40; 
importance  of,  in  placing-out 
work,  70-71,  72;  record  forms 
and  discussion,  22-40;  records 
of  children  inadequate  without, 
5 

Family  Records:  how  preserved, 
xi-xii 

Feeble-minded  :  necessity  of  better 
provision  for,  42,  47,  70;  op- 
portunity of  institutions  to  se- 
cure better  provision  for,  127- 
128;  pamphlet  on  menace  of,  in 
Massachusetts,  128 

Files  :  for  records  and  correspond- 
ence, 143 

Filing:  alphabetical  method,  143- 
144;  numerical  method,  144- 
145;  of  records,  methods  of, 
142-147 ;  organizing  records 
for,  138-142 

Financial  Statistics:  of  child- 
caring  organizations,  165-174 

Florida  Children's  Home  Society  : 
form  for  visitor's  report,  84,  85 

Folders  :  for  filing  purposes,  138 

Form  Letters:  to  applicants  for 
children,  89,  90;  to  pastor  of 
placed-out  child,  96;  to  teacher 
of  placed-out  child,  97 

Foster  Homes  :  indexes  of,  147, 
148;  records  of  investigations 
of,  73-84;  selection  of,  72-84; 
visitors'  reports  on,  85-88 


Geographical  Index:  of  placed-out 
children,  148,  152 

Glen  Mills  Schools,  Girls'  De- 
partment :  expense  records 
used  by,  104 

Hadley,  President  A.  T. :  quoted, 
176 

Hart,  Hastings  H. :  Preventive 
Treatment  of  Neglected  Chil- 
dren, quoted,  77,  84 

Health  :  of  child  and  family,  im- 
portance of  recording,  22 

Hebrew  Orphan  Asylum,  New 
York  :  clothing  record  used  by, 
99 

Hebrew  Sheltering  and  Protec- 
tive Association,  Baltimore: 
records  kept  by,  66 

Hebrew  Sheltering  Guardian  So- 
ciety, New  York  :  conduct  and 
efficiency  record  used  by,  66,  68 

Height:  importance  of  recording, 
43,  56,  61-62 

Henry  Watson  Children's  Aid 
Society,  Baltimore  :  applica- 
tion for  child,  form  used  by, 
70-82 ;  school  record  of  placed- 
out  child,  93-94,  95 

Hershey  Industrial  School:  ap- 
plication blank,  illustration  and 
description  of,  19-22 

Histories,  Family:  See  Family 
Histories 

Holt,  L.  Emmet,  M.D.,  63 

Identity  of  Children:  importance 
of  records  in  proving,  1-9 

Illinois  Children's  Home  and  Aid 
Society  :  index  for  correspond- 
ence used  by,  139,  140 

Index  Cards  :  form  suggested  by 
Russell  Sage  Foundation,  134; 
of  foster  homes,  146,  153,  154; 
signals  on,  134,  152,  154;  used 
by  State  Charities  Aid  Associa- 
tion, 135 

Index  Drawers:  equipment  of,  133 


191 


INDEX 


Index  Visible,  133 

Indexes:  agent's  desk,  152,  154; 
book,  limitations  of,  132;  card, 
advantages  of,  132;  card,  clas- 
sification in,  1377138;  card, 
cross  referencing  in,  136-137 ; 
card,  methods  of  using,  132- 
137;  card,  must  be  complete, 
136;  geographical,  of  placed-out 
children,  148;  kinds  in  use,  132; 
locality,  152;  of  foster  homes, 
147,  148;  visible,  133 

Indiana  Board  of  State  Chari- 
ties: report  of  charitable  insti- 
tutions, blank  for,  165,  166-167 ; 
report  on  children's  homes,  41- 
42 

Individual  Child's  Record  :  form 
showing  essential  points,  43, 
45-46 

Individual  Treatment:  compre- 
hensive records  essential  for 
effective,  10 

Infant  Mortality:  importance  of 
family  history  records  in  study 
of,  38;  in  institutions,  an  index 
of  health  conditions,  56 

Infants:  family  histories  of,  38; 
personal  history  records  of,  43, 
58-60 

Infant's  Record:  form  suggested 
bv  Russell  Sage  Foundation, 
58-60 

Instructions  to  Enumerators:  by 
United  States  Census  Bureau, 
118 

Interviews:  should  be  recorded 
promptly,  112 

Investigation  :  of  juvenile  court 
case,  used  in  illustration,  113, 
117-118,  119 

Investigations:  how  to  secure 
good,  176-181 

Jacobi,  Abraham,  M.D.,  63 
Jane  Blank:  case  of,  11-18 
John  Doe:  case  of,  11-18 


Joint  Shelter  for  Children, 
Philadelphia:  physical  exami- 
nation blank,  49-50 

Kentucky  Children's  Home  So- 
ciety :  forms  for  placement  and 
supervision,  107,  108;  method 
of  card  indexing  by,  135 ;  regis- 
ter used  by,  7,  8 

Knox,  J.  H.  Mason,  M.D.,  63 

Legislation  :  for  children,  value  of 
records  in  securing,  126-131 

Letters  :  importance  of  keeping 
copies  of,  141 ;  index  sheet  for, 
139;  methods  of  filing,  138-142 

Lodges:  membership  of  parents  an 
item  for  record,  22,  24 

Making  Records  Available:  meth- 
ods and  devices  for,  132-155 

Maryland  Children's  Aid  So- 
ciety: application  for  child, 
form  used,  79-82 

Massachusetts  Training  Schools, 
Girls  Parole  Department  : 
application  for  girl,  78;  girl's 
and  employer's  monthly  reports, 
101,  102,  103 ;  research  by,  131 

Medical  Examination:  report  of, 
98.    See  Physical  Examination 

Medical  Record.  See  Physical 
Examination 

Mental  Defectives  :  opportunities 
of  institutions  in  securing  bet- 
ter provision  for,  126-131.  See 
also  Feeble-minded 

Mental  Examination:  importance 
of,  in  placing-out  work,  70-71 ; 
records  of,  22,  38,  41 ;  too  tech- 
nical for  recording  by  any  but 
trained  psychologist,  44,  55 

Methods  and  Devices  for  Making 
Records  Available,  132-155 

Michigan  Children's  Home  So- 
ciety: blank  for  recording 
adoptions  and  deaths,  123-124 

Misery  and  Its  Causes:  By  Ed- 
ward T.  Devine,  quoted,  125 


192 


Monthly  Report:  of  children's  in- 
stitution to  board  of  charities 
of  D.  C,  blank  for,  163-164,  165 

Names:  accurate  spelling  of  im- 
portant, 112 

National  Children's  Home  So- 
ciety, 161 

National  Education  Association  : 
on  uniform  records  and  re- 
ports, 64 

New  England  Home  for  Little 
Wanderers  :  registration  card 
of  foster  home,  153,  154 

New  York  Department  of  Public 
Charities:  rule  for  entering 
names  on  records,  112,  114 

New  York  Orphanage.  See  Or- 
phan Asylum  Society 

New  York  State  Board  of  Char- 
ities: bureau  of  analysis  and 
investigation,  130;  records  re- 
quired by,  7 

Ohio  Board  of  State  Charities: 
child  welfare  department,  re- 
search by,  130-131 ;  family  his- 
tory blank  used  by,  33-34;  re- 
port of  institutions  required  by, 
165 

Ohio  Children's  Code:  require- 
ments of,  illustrated  in  family 
history  blank,  38 

Orphan  Asylum  Society  in  the 
City  of  New  York,  Hastings- 
on-Hudson :  records  kept  by,  56, 
61,  65,  66,  69 

Pastor's  Report:  on  placed-out 
child,  95 

Pennsylvania,  Children's  Aid  So- 
ciety of.  See  Children's  Aid 
Society  of  Pennsylvania 

Personal  Needs  of  Child.  See 
Child 

Personal  Record  of  Child:  form 
suggested  by  Russell  Sage 
Foundation,  45-46 


Philadelphia  :  co-operation  of 
children's  agencies  in,  178 

Philadelphia  Bureau  of  Health  : 
dental  records  used  by,  51-54 

Philadelphia  Children's  Bureau. 
See  Children's  Bureau 

Physical  Examination  :  blanks 
for,  43-44,  47-50;  continuation 
record  form,  57;  essentials  of  a 
complete,  43 ;  importance  of,  in 
placing-out  work,  70;  records 
of,  22,  38,  41 

Physical  Records:  blanks  for,  43- 
44,  47-50 

Pittsburgh  Home  for  the  Friend- 
less: address  card  used  by, 
122,  123 

Placing-Out:  information  needed 
for,  70-1 1 1 

Population  Statistics  :  of  child- 
caring  organizations,  158-165 

Prevention:  importance  of  records 
in  work  of,  xii 

Preventive  Treatment  of  Neg- 
lected Children:  By  Hastings 
H.  Hart,  quoted,  77,  84 

Preventive  Work:  use  of  records 
in,  125-13 1 

Previous  Addresses  :  an  aid  in  trac- 
ing parents  or  relatives,  22-24 

Psychological  Clinics:  list  of,  55 
Psychological  Records:  value  of, 
42,43 

Questionnaire:  use  of,  in  record- 
ing family  histories,  38 

Rand  Visible  Index,  133 

Recommendation  Blank:  used  by 
Cleveland  Humane  Society,  83 

Record  Making:  rules  to  be 
observed  in,  1 12-124 

Records:  accuracy  of,  important, 
112,  114-115;  and  preventive 
work,  125-131 ;  authorities  for 
information  should  be  given, 
114-116,  117,  118;  careful,  value 


193 


INDEX 


Records  (continued) 

of,  xi ;  comprehensive,  essential 
for  individual  treatment,  io; 
conduct,  64-66,  68;  continuation, 
form  suggested  by  Russell  Sage 
Foundation,  57;  continuation, 
to  test  development  of  child, 
56;  convenient  sizes  for,  141- 
142;  dates  in,  114;  efficiency, 
64-66,  68;  examples  of  right 
and  wrong  methods,  115-116; 
how  to  secure  good,  176-181 ; 
impressions  and  personal  judg- 
ments should  not  confuse,  116- 
117;  in  family  life,  xi-xii;  in- 
adequate, examples  of,  1-5,  11- 
12;  infants'  personal  history, 
45.  58-60;  lessons  of  prevention 
to  be  learned  from,  125  ff.  ; 
methods  and  devices  for  mak- 
ing available,  132-155;  miscel- 
laneous, 66,  69;  misconception 
of,  xi;  names  in,  importance  of 
complete,  114-116,  119;  of  in- 
dividual child,  43,  45-46;  of 
interviews,  112;  omission  of 
items  should  be  explained,  119; 
organizing  of,  for  filing,  138- 
142 ;  physical,  43~44,  47-5° ;  pro- 
tection of,  155;  reviewing  and 
summarizing  of,  120-122  ; 
school,  64-66,  67,  93-94;  social 
service,  65-66;  statistical,  com- 
piling of,  158-174;  uniform,  re- 
port of  National  Education 
Association  on,  64 ;  value  of,  in 
securing  legislation,  126-131  ; 
visitors',  should  be  signed,  116; 
vital  human  documents,  xi.  See 
also  Application  Blanks;  Fam- 
ily Histories 

Reeder,  Dr.  Rudolph  R. :  on  value 
of  weight  and  height  tests,  56, 
61 

Register:  description  of,  6-9;  form 
and  cost  of,  7-8;  full  family 
histories  should  supplement,  5 ; 
illustrations  of,  6,  8;  less  effec- 
tive than  card  system,  5;  sim- 
plest form  of  institution  record, 
5 ;  valuable  as  safety  device,  5 

Relatives  :  addresses  should  be  re- 
corded, 22 


Report:  of  institutions  required  by 
Indiana  Board  of  State  Char- 
ities, 165,  166-167 

Reports,  Annual.  See  Annual  Re- 
ports 

Research  :  value  of,  as  shown  in 
case  records  of  children,  126- 
131 

Rules  :  to  be  observed  in  record 
making,  1 12-124 

Russell  Sage  Foundation:  record 
forms  suggested  by,  35-37,  45- 
46,  47,  57-6o,  63,  134 

St.  Louis  Board  of  Children's 
Guardians  :  family  history 
blank  used  by,  29-32;  visitor's 
report  on  foster  home,  84,  87-88 

St.  Mary's  Female  Orphan  Asy- 
lum, Baltimore:  efficiency  and 
conduct  record  system,  64 

School  Feeding:  By  Louise  S. 
Bryant,  records  of  height  and 
weight  from,  61-63 

School  Record:  continuation,  64- 
66,  67;  from  Henry  Watson 
Children's  Aid  Society,  93-94, 
95 ;  from  Thorn  Hill  School, 
67;  National  Education  Asso- 
ciation on  significance  of,  64; 
value  of,  22 

Selection  :  necessity  of,  in  child- 
caring  work,  41-42,  43;  of 
homes  and  children  in  placing- 
out  work,  70 

Seybert  Institution,  Philadel- 
phia: and  the  Children's  Bu- 
reau, 178 

Signals:  on  index  cards,  use  of, 
134,  152,  154 

Sizes:  of  record  cards  and  blanks, 
141-142 

Sleighton  Farm,  Pennsylvania. 
See  Glen  Mills  Schools 

Solenberger,  Edwin  D. :  quoted  on 
essentials  of  an  annual  report, 
157-158 


194 


INDEX 


State  Charities  Aid  Association, 
New  York:  agreement  with 
foster  parents,  101,  105 ;  family 
history  blank  used  by,  27-28; 
index  card  for  child-placing 
society,  135 ;  physical  examina- 
tion forms,  43-44,  47-48 

Statistics  :  of  child-caring  or- 
ganizations, compiling  of,  158- 
174;  articles  concerning,  174- 
175 

Story  Sheet:  importance  of,  in 
record  making,  120;  of  family 
history  blank,  St.  Louis  Board 
of  Children's  Guardians,  31-32; 
of  family  history  blank,  sug- 
gested by  Russell  Sage  Foun- 
dation, 37 

Supervision:  of  placed-out  chil- 
dren, 70-1 1 1 

Thorn  Hill  School:  school  record 
blank  used  by,  66,  67 

Trained  Visitors  :  importance  of, 
in  child-caring  work,  12-18 

Training  of  Workers,  177 

Uniform  Records  and  Reports: 
report  of  National  Education 
Association  on,  64 

United  States  Census  Bureau  : 
instructions  to  enumerators,  118 


Visiting,  Family:  importance  of, 
in  placing-out  work,  70,  71-72 

Visitors:  report  blanks  used  by, 
85,  87-88,  91-92,  106-111 

Visitors,  Trained.  See  Trained 
Visitors 

Visitor's  Card:  to  record  names 
and  addresses  of  parents  or 
relatives,  122-123 

Visitor's  Reports:  form  used  by 
Florida  Children's  Home  So- 
ciety, 84,  85 ;  importance  of 
signing,  116;  of  children  placed 
and  replaced,  107,  109-110;  of 
children  visited,  108 

Wages:  records  of  payment  of,  to 
placed-out  children,  66,  69,  101 

Wards  :  commitment  of,  without 
records,  40;  injustice  of  accept- 
ance without  investigation,  10- 
18;  of  child-caring  organiza- 
tions, value  of  careful  records 
concerning,  xi,  xii,  1-9.  See  also 
Children 

Weight:  importance  of  recording, 
43,  56,  61-62 

Welch,  William  H.,  M.D.,  63 

Workers,  Training  of,  177 


195 


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